I'll Show You Madness
by wonderwoundedhearers
Summary: The Joker's escaped from Arkham and he only has two things on his mind - causing the Bat some trouble and making some mischief. That's until he meets Isabella Swan. He wants to corrupt every inch of her. Will Bella let him show her madness? Lem/Lang.
1. Shadows

_**[Author's Note: Imagine this is set some time after 'The Dark Knight' and 'Breaking Dawn' – The Joker has been incarcerated in Arkham Asylum, and the Cullens have moved to Gotham for a fresh start. Have you ever noticed how crappy the weather is in Gotham? Yeah, that gave me this idea…]**_

_**

* * *

**_

wonderwoundedhearers: Quick point - Renesmee never existed. Let's just say that everything went according to the original plan of how they would change Bella after graduation, and the battle with the Volturi never happened because Renesmee never happened – okey-dokey? What? I couldn't break up a happy family with a child! Who do you think I am?

_**Joker: The person trying to get me to seduce a married lady-**_

_**wwh: Shut up!**_

**

* * *

**

Bella

"Edward," I sighed, "I want to study _Psychology_."

We were currently arguing – again – about going to college. I wanted to study Psychology, and Edward wanted to study Medicine – I didn't see the problem. We could both be happy doing what we wanted at different colleges, but Edward didn't want to be apart.

"But, Bella," he _almost _pouted, "we won't see each other during the day."

I rolled my eyes, "Edward, we're damn vampires! I'm going to see you in the morning, at night, in gaps between lessons, and…oh, yeah, _for the rest of eternity_."

He didn't seem to be able to spend a few hours away from me per day, for a couple of years – it wasn't like we were going to run out of time to be together! He was so frustrating.

"Love?" He said softly, and I internally groaned – he _knew_ I liked it when he called me that.

I turned from him to look out of our bedroom window – I knew if I kept looking at him, he would try and dazzle me, "Yes?"

"I'll cave," he breathed, coming up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist.

I grinned, "Really?"

He nodded into my hair, "I'll study Psychology with you."

I sighed, "Edward, you are going to study Medicine."

He chuckled against my neck, sending shivers down my spine, "Am I?"

I turned in his arms and glared up at him, "_You_ will study Medicine, and _I _will study Psychology – this is the last argument on the matter."

Edward sighed, running one of his hands through his bronze hair, "Fine."

I internally jumped for joy.

I beamed, "I love you."

He chuckled softly, "I love you, too."

**

* * *

**

Joker

Dr. Abbot passed by my cell for the third time in thirty minutes – that man wanted something. His half-moon glasses glinted from the fluorescents along the wall of the corridor, and his silver hair – which was parted _very_ neatly – shone with grease. He was quite short – the top of his head barely reaching the barred window of my cell – and his white lab coat brushed the grey concrete floor.

He looked like a fool, and that's what he was.

I laid back in the dark, my bunk covered in shadow – it was late, but I wasn't tired. I wanted to see what the good Doc' wanted. I was in the top security wing, and there was no one else anywhere near me. I grinned – I was a bad influence. But then that begged the question, why was the Doc' walking by my cell looking so high and mighty, and so damn busy?

He was a liar.

Ten minutes later I heard his footsteps coming down the corridor again, and I decided to make it easier on him…for now. I stepped up to the door – the fluorescents illuminating the orange of my standard issue jumpsuit – and waited.

"Good evening, Doc'," I greeted, and he jumped back against the wall – I could almost hear his heart pounding.

"Inmate," he nodded – well, that wasn't very nice…

"I have a name, you know," I said softly, and I watched the muscles in his jaw twitch.

"_Joker_," he sneered.

The Doc' wanted to play…

"That's right," I grinned, and he cowered slightly.

"Well, I must make my rounds…" He said, straightening up his tie.

"We both know that's a lie, Doc'," I whispered. "Just between you and me… I think you want something."

His small, grey eyes narrowed, "I want nothing from you."

Dr. Abbot's cheek twitched – _liar_.

"Are you sure? Because this will be the only chance you get to ask…" I trailed off, moving back from the bars and into the shadows of my cell.

_Reel him in…_

"Wait!" He hissed.

_Gotcha…_

I stepped up to the door and peered down at him – he looked _incredibly_ nervous, and I wasn't surprised. I was wearing my craziest smile.

"What can I help you with?" I asked quietly, a deadly tone to my voice – it came out sometimes when I felt…_in the mood_ for something.

Right now…I wanted to cut him for all the times he analysed me, incorrectly or otherwise.

He coughed nervously, looking up at the security camera at the far end of the hall – it didn't have sound, and he knew it. He turned back to me, but his eyes couldn't connect with mine.

"My wife, she's in trouble…" He paused, "…with the sharks. I need some help – I know you have contacts. Maybe I could help you in some capacity…"

I smiled, wrapping my hands around the bars covering the tiny window, "There are others here who can do that, Doc'. Why me?"

"Everyone knows…you're the best…" He looked up, "What do you need? I can give it to you."

I took a moment to look him over again – there was one thing that I missed earlier, and it was that he _reeked_ of desperation.

Just my type.

"How about you give me five minutes to…stretch my legs?" I smirked, and his face turned ashen.

"I…" He looked about, "I can't let you _escape_…"

"It isn't escape when I don't label it as such, Doc'. I label it as 'stretching my legs,'" I said in a low voice, silently telling him to cut out the word 'escape' from his vocabulary for the time being.

"I can… I can get you a break – a walk. One armed guard…" He whispered.

"If you let him walk me to the end of the block, then I'll be happy to help out the wife with those nasty men," I grinned.

He nodded, "Romeo Valentine – that's his name. Call him off my wife. I'll get you your break, right now."

I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes, "As soon as I get out, I'll pay him a _visit_ – I can't very well do it now."

Dr. Abbot studied me for a moment, but his desperation was clouding his judgement and he agreed – and they call _me_ crazy? He obviously couldn't see the downside to our…little bargain – like the fact as soon as I was out, I would do what I want _when _I want. But I _could_ always pay his wife a visit…

He walked away after telling me my escort would arrive in five minutes.

I cracked my neck and knuckles – time to bust out of here. I had a bat to irritate and a city to destroy.

_**

* * *

**_

Two months later…

* * *

**Bella**

Edward had already left for his morning classes, and I only had one in the afternoon so I stayed home with Esme. Emmett and Jasper had gone hunting, Rosalie and Alice had gone shopping, and Carlisle was at Gotham General.

"Oh, Bella," I heard Esme sigh sadly from downstairs.

I flitted to her side, "What's wrong?"

She nodded to the TV and I gasped – it was a gruesome scene, and I was surprised that they had gotten anywhere near it, let alone permission for the footage to air.

The camera zoomed out and a brunette reporter came into view, "This morning the police received a call concerning the disappearance of a neighbour. Mrs Adele Abbot was found butchered in her bedroom an hour ago – some say this was the work of notorious madman, the Joker. Mrs Abbot's husband, Dr. Abbot, was _also_ a victim of the Joker after Dr. Abbot aided the Joker in his escape from Arkham Asylum..."

Esme was shaking her head sadly as the reporter continued on, but I didn't want to watch it anymore – I had had enough of the death and destruction that occurred in the world. I decided to take a walk – it was rainy today, and I wanted the fresh air that the storm brought.

"I'll see you later, Esme," I smiled at her.

She said goodbye as I picked up my rucksack, and I was out of the door like a shot.

Our house was tucked away in a wood on the outskirts of Gotham, and it looked so much like the house that we had left behind in Forks, with its large glass windows and modern architecture. I pulled my black hooded jacket together and zipped it up over my grey t-shirt and black jeans – I knew Alice would kill me, but I didn't care. I loved Alice, but she was slowly wearing me down – I didn't know how the others stood her dressing them up for all those years.

My white Converse All-Stars would get muddy from the wood I was about to walk through, but I wasn't bothered today – today was a day where I wanted to be me and not Alice's 'Bella Barbie'. I enjoyed the rain coming through the green canopy above my head, and I smiled as I went at human-speed.

Eventually, I reached the edge of the wood that came out onto the road that led down into Gotham city. Despite the crime and the weather, it was a good place to live – the education was fantastic, and it was a prime place for business and technological growth. Vampires weren't worried about crime or weather – the criminals were afraid of _us_, and the weather generally worked to our advantage.

My thoughts turned to Batman – there was a human hero. My family and I had spent a very long time discussing him, trying to satisfy our curiosity, but we all decided that it was best left alone – we had a cover to keep, and we were already in the public eye. The lovely, beautiful, perfect Cullens were Gotham's newest gossip, and I knew as soon as I stepped into that Psychology class the rumours would start again.

I walked through Gotham at a snail's pace, when I realised that my class was due to start soon enough. I jogged a few blocks until I reached the College, tucked away between some of the smaller buildings on Gotham's main road. The boys stared and the girls bitched as I passed them by, but I didn't pay any attention. I got to my Psychology class in the auditorium with a couple of minutes to spare, and sat in my usual back-row seat.

Dr. Cliffe was a good teacher, but he often went over the material a few times and I knew that today would be no different. The class settled down and he began his presentation on Freud. I began to doodle aimlessly on my pad as the lecture wore on, but I could keep my attention fixed on Dr. Cliffe at the same time – thank God for vampire abilities.

"'Little Hans' also had a dream about two giraffes-" Dr. Cliffe began, but was cut off when a scream emanated from the hallway outside.

I listened carefully, and I could hear heavy footsteps – _lots_ of heavy footsteps. I could hear the cocking of guns, and the whispers of men with deep, gravelly voices.

_What the…?_

"Shit," I murmured – I became worried about every single person in the building, but I was also worried about inadvertently blowing my cover.

I couldn't smell any blood, or hear any gunfire – I assumed we were safe, for now.

Dr. Cliffe hushed everyone immediately, "I'll be back in a moment."

I got up from my seat immediately – he couldn't hear what I could, and I suddenly didn't care about my cover – "I don't think that's a good idea, Sir."

He frowned at me over his black glasses – stubborn bastard – "Nonsense, Miss Swan."

As soon as he stepped out of that door, I heard the loud smacking sound that I thought I would and I heard his body slump to the floor. I sat back down, leaning back in my seat, trying to think what to do – there was only one exit, there were far too many people in this large class, and who would listen to_ me_ anyway?

I sank into the shadows that the back row offered, and pulled out my cell-phone.

I called Alice, "Alice!"

"Bella? What's wrong?"

I spoke so quietly that no one could hear, "There are men with _guns_, at the College – I can hear them. I don't know what they're doing, but they've taken out my professor and I'm worried about hurting anyone or looking like I know too much if I try to get anyone out of here."

"Okay," I could hear her worry – probably because she didn't see this happening rather than the situation itself – "I'll get someone to you, probably Em or Jazz. I'll call the police. Stay quiet. Stay out of the way."

I hung up and listened intently – I could hear voices getting louder and closer, and once they reached a certain point, I knew the rest of the class could hear them as well. The buzz of voices was getting louder in the classroom, and I could smell the adrenaline in the air – the humans were getting extremely scared. I felt the venom pool in my mouth a little, at the smell – it was so attractive to vampires, the fear of the prey…

I bit back my thirst – I was in control.

"Well! What do we have here?" A voice suddenly rang out in the large room.

I had no trouble seeing who was coming through the door – the Joker. His face was painted white, his eyes were shaded with black, and his lips were blood-red – his teeth flashed as he grinned through all his 'war-paint'.

I was _not_ in control. The Joker never left anywhere without a little bloodshed, and even a little was enough to tilt my control slightly – I hadn't perfected my bloodlust yet.

He jumped up on the platform at the front of the class, his long purple coat swishing behind him and his manic smile at full wattage. He pulled out something from his pocket, and I bit back a hiss when I saw he had put on a pair of black rimmed glasses with blood spatters on the right lens – they were Dr. Cliffe's.

There was a scream from the front row and the Joker grinned down at the terrified girl, "Do they look that bad? I thought they might suit the studious atmosphere."

Panic broke out, and every heart began beating to a nameless, fast-paced tune – such sweet music…

_Focus, Bella! You're not going to touch anyone… You can do it…_

I pictured Edward's beautiful face to calm me, and I focused on the crazy man grinning around the room.

**

* * *

**

Joker

Ah, school – the halls of learning, the smell of chalk, the whimpers and screams of hundreds of students. Wonderful.

Valentine's mob had kindly switched sides, and I wanted to do a bit of destruction – my gut told me to blow something up, but at the last minute I thought a hostage situation would soothe my itch for mayhem. I had been out of the game for far too long…

We had subdued the classes with relative ease – one scream, a couple of deaths, not too much blood. I knew the figurative pot of gold would be the auditorium, and oh, how right I was – packed with frightened students willing to play some of my games.

After my entrance, I took my time sizing up the students in their seats. My boys moved up the rows, cocking their automatics just to get the message through to the young minds. There was a good mix of race, gender, size and age – I smiled at some of the girls who looked like they were about to pass out. No one interesting whatsoever, though – I frowned at that. I had thought there would be someone I could take, maybe who would come to love playing my games with me…

_Oh, yes…_

My eyes caught on before my mind did, but when it did… Oh, boy. Right at the back, set in the shadows, was a _very_ beautiful woman – definitely a woman, not a girl. She was older than she looked – I could tell. Her eyes were darker than her long, curled mahogany hair, and her pale skin reminded me of my own – I knew she would just love to play…

I took my eyes off of her and looked down at a blonde boy in the front row – his eyes immediately showed fear, and I could smell it pouring off of him.

I grinned, "Who is that _vision_?"

He immediately turned to follow my line of sight, and then turned back, "Isabella Swan."

He gave up her name to save his own skin – _spineless_. But I had my information – he would play a game later, too…

"_Isabella_?" I smirked, looking up at the woman.

She returned my gaze coolly and my smile grew brighter – she had spirit. Her gaze looked hungry, almost like she was about to turn feral, wild – what was that about? I liked it…

I smoothed back my messy, green-tinted hair, "Well, hello there, Isabella – aren't you just _perfect_?"

I purred the last word, and I saw her eyes flash darkly – I'd caught a wild one. I made my way up the side stairs towards her in the back row – she was alone in the shadows, but it seemed to suit her perfectly. I sat down next to her, slipping my arm around her shoulders and putting a blade to her throat. There were gasps of horror, but she didn't even blink.

"Do you know how I got these scars?" I asked her, and I watched her black eyes impossibly darken a shade.

"No," she said quietly – her voice was beautiful, it would be a shame to cut her throat and ruin it.

"One day, I was at school and the other kids – you know how they are – they start picking on me. They tell me I'm not smart, not _happy_, not _brave_ – so I go home and I think about how to remedy the situation, and it just comes to me!" I say, putting the blade closer to her perfect, pink lips. "I know how to look happy and brave – I take the razor from my daddy's medicine cabinet, and I cut myself a smile. Everyone thinks I'm happy then, and everyone thinks I'm brave…"

I turned my head and nodded to one of my boys – they aim, shoot and kill the blonde boy in the front row.

Screams flew up all around the room as I turned back to her, "He sold you out, Kitten."

But instead of seeing anger, or fear, or hatred, or disgust – as I had expected – I saw _hunger. _That wild look that I had seen beneath the surface had risen a great deal. I looked down at the blonde boy, and watched his blood pool on the hard-wood flooring from the hole in his head – what was the girl seeing?

As I looked back, her eyes seemed to glint dangerously and beneath her slightly parted lips I saw her teeth gleam – she looked beautiful.

"Aren't you going to ask what I want, what I'm doing here?" I smirked at her, letting the blade rest against her jugular.

The feral look in her eyes flashed once again, "I didn't think it would help."

I chuckled, "How right you are."

I stood and made my way back down to the front of the auditorium, keeping a close eye on the girl – she wouldn't be going _anywhere_.

_**

* * *

**_

[Author's Note: Let me know what you think! It just came to me, but it's probably been done before – apologies if my plot runs along the same lines as another author's. I don't press for reviews, but any and all comments are welcome!]


	2. Hunger

**Bella**

_Oh, God… The blood… The sweet, sweet blood…_

Nothing was penetrating my hazy brain – all I could see was Justin King's blood pooling on the floor from the gunshot wound in his head.

I hated myself – I was disgusted, but I couldn't deny my hunger.

I tried to focus on Edward – I remembered his smile and the way he kissed me, but even _that_ wasn't working.

The only thing that was keeping me remotely anchored, was the Joker – he could spill more blood, much more, and if he did… Well, I had to watch him – I had to make sure I was aware of _everything_.

_Except the blood – forget the blood, Bella…_

The Joker jogged down the steps to the platform at the front of the auditorium – the students' eyes followed him in panic, wondering who his next victim would be.

Casey Jones who sat next to Justin King was shaking as she desperately tried to wipe away the blood that was spattered across her cheek and staining her strawberry-blonde hair.

I wished I could do something – I wished I wasn't so weak.

But I was.

My hands were tied. If I tried to save the day like I knew I could, I would be caught and our cover would be blown, and if I sat back I was sure that the fresh blood would overcome my senses and I would rip and kill.

Joker looked around the room, his gaze not even _brushing _me – I didn't know why, but I was glad; it might be easier to help and escape.

I prayed that Jazz or Em would come soon…

"_Right_," Joker chuckled darkly. "Have you young, bright things ever been taught about natural selection?"

Everyone immediately nodded, bar me – it seemed I was the only one who could see where this was going…

"The strong pick off the weak, and the strong survive – that's the way of the world," Joker sang, his hands making wild movements in the air. "Now, have you ever _encountered_ natural selection?"

The class didn't move.

"I guess that's a 'no,'" he grinned, his teeth flashing. "See, today you can scrape by, not doing a thing – you're all just…floating downstream like little duckies without a care in the world…" He grabbed the shotgun from his closest henchman, fired it towards the ceiling and smiled as plaster rained down on the class, "And I'm the big, scary alligator that's going to snap at you."

Half the class began crying and the others, I was sure, were too shocked to do _anything_ – my hands clenched the top of my desk in fury, and when I pulled my hands away I saw the perfect imprint of them in the wood. I quickly pushed the shape out – I needed to rein myself in, or I was going to get caught. But the blood that had thickly saturated the air was messing with my thought processes…

"Now! Who'd like to go first?" The Joker asked, looking around the room.

No one moved, and I stayed perfectly still as I watched the Joker's gaze rove upwards to me – he grinned.

"Kitten, would you like to come to the front of the class for 'show and tell'?" He asked – there was no room for argument, and the two henchmen on either end of the row I was in were staring at me.

I wished I was plain old Bella again – my vampire allure seemed to just…kick-start occasionally, and this was not the time for it. Judging by the look in the two large men's eyes, my allure was working at top-speed.

_But_…maybe…I could _dazzle_ my way out of this…

I stood up and quickly unzipped my black hoodie, throwing it down before they could think I was up to some funny business. I hated to do this – to sell myself this way – but it looked like the only way to gain the upper hand.

I knew how good my body looked – it was perfectly caught between girlhood and womanhood. I was slim and blooming like a girl, but curvy in all the right places like a woman – I would use it to my advantage.

I'd never _tried_ to dazzle, but it had happened on more than one occasion by accident.

_I can do this_…

I sauntered along the aisle, towards the larger of the two guys – he was looking over me hungrily, his shotgun slowly aiming lower as he dropped his guard little by little. I turned at the corner to walk down the stairs, giving him the 'sticky-eyes' look – I kept my darkened gaze on him until the very last moment. I could hear his heart pumping faster and his breathing accelerate in excitement.

I could hear a predatory growl build up in his chest as my hips sashayed on my way down the steps – I went slowly, making him see every inch of my body work.

If this went well, he'd stay dazzled – _one down, more to go…_

I looked around swiftly – too fast for the human eye to see – and I saw all the other henchmen watching me with heavily-lidded eyes, except the Joker.

He looked…amused, angry…maybe a little lustful…

I reached the bottom of the stairs, and looked up at Joker on the platform – he watched me for a moment, measuring me up. He crooked his finger, and I stepped up onto the platform – I ignored the students watching me, hoping that they might find a way of escaping while the Joker and his henchmen were distracted.

The Joker's finger suddenly pressed against my chin, tipping my face up – I complied instantly, trying to mask my real strength. He could never move me unless I wanted to move, and I could break his finger in a second if I wanted to.

His dark brown-green eyes looked me over carefully – he paused as he reached my hips, his tongue darting out to wet his lips. When he looked back up into my eyes, I saw the lust I had been expecting – he was good at masking, but not good enough for a vampire.

"Now, Kitten," he breathed. "I'm going to pick you a play-mate." I kept my face still, void of expression, as he looked to the left, "_You_."

I heard a murmur of shock, and instinctively looked – the Joker was staring at the henchman I had dazzled first. The henchman was staring back incredulously, and the other henchmen looked like they didn't know who to back up – it was settled by the fact that they knew the Joker was an insane bastard, and even I knew he didn't deal well with insubordination.

"Come on up here, Bub," the Joker grinned. "You're not afraid of a hundred-pound girl, are you?"

'Bub' glared – it seemed he didn't like being challenged. He cleared the steps up to the platform in one stride, and towered over me – I could see his previous lust lingered, and I looked up at him through my lashes demurely.

Could I still tip the scales in my favour by dazzling alone?

The Joker leaned closer to me, brushing away my curls from my ear to whisper, "Show me what you've got." He suddenly stepped back and said loudly, "I don't know about you guys, but I want to see some _wrestling_!"

I tried not to breathe in as the atmosphere in the room became tense, but my human qualities still lingered and I caught my unnecessary breath.

It was a bad, bad idea.

The delicious scent of Justin King's blood was stronger down here, and my head swam as my vision darkened…

_Blood… Blood… Blood…_

I could vaguely hear a cheer go up around the room to something the Joker said, and I saw Bub's eyes narrow as he threw down his shotgun – he made the movement to crack his knuckles and neck, but no noise sounded now. I was deaf to everything that wasn't a beating heart or rushing blood – I couldn't hold my instincts back anymore…

I crouched and hissed, my legs stretching back as I prepared to lunge at him – I could see his incredulity, his arrogance, his lust…and his fear…

It was beautiful.

I growled as he tensed – the sound was long and loud judging from the vibrations in my chest, but I still couldn't hear anything but his beating heart…his beating heart…

_Beat-beat, beat, beat-beat, beat, beat-beat…_

He ducked his shoulders slightly and ran at me – my vampire mind calculated his speed within an instant, and it took me less than a second to side-step him, grasp the back of his neck and slam him back onto the floor, effectively smashing the back of his skull.

I felt myself smiling wickedly, leaning down over my kill – _he will soon be all mine_…

Venom pooled in my mouth and a white-hot flame erupted in my throat – _take him, take him, take him…_

Suddenly, I knew I wasn't alone with my kill – I felt the air being disturbed behind me, particles brushing my bare arms. I spun and hissed, twisting a henchman's arm as he went to hit me with the butt of his gun – I twirled over his head, arm in hand, and broke it clean from his body.

_Blood, blood, blood…_

It was everywhere – it sprayed across my face from the henchman's wound as he fell to the floor.

I closed my eyes, relishing the warmth and wetness of the sweet elixir before I wiped some from my face and tasted it.

Oh, and it was sweet – it was _beautiful_… I had no idea _why_ I hadn't tried it before – it was so much better than animal blood.

I looked down at the henchman at my feet, bleeding across the platform, when I felt another disturbance in the air – I spun again, dropping behind the two attackers and snapping their necks simultaneously. But this time, I didn't let them go.

I felt the blood rushing and then slowing in their jugulars, relishing the feel of its warmth beneath my fingers – there was a moment, when…_everything_ became clear. The faces of the terrified students, the dust in the air, the silence in the room, the pained breathing of the wounded and dying at my feet, the glee and awe on the Joker's face…

I took a vampire-moment just to look at him properly – he was…_spectacular_. I would never admit it to myself out of that moment, but in that small time frame I could say that he was something brilliant, like a shooting star. Unnatural, yes. Insane, yes. Sadistic, yes. But great? Yes, he was – he had managed to control an entire city with nothing but a little fear and a knife, and not even the Batman could stop him.

My vampire-self could appreciate that about him – I could truly see something…special in him.

But when that moment passed, and I felt the blood cooling in the bodies I held, I was more preoccupied with my thirst. I latched onto one of their throats in an instant, drinking down the soothing liquid – it enflamed me in ways I couldn't explain, but soothed me in others that were more familiar.

When he was finished, I turned to the next – I had never glutted myself, and maybe that was why my extraordinary control had been tipped. I had become cocky, lazy, and in one afternoon, where I had not hunted, I was shown for the animal I was.

_Shown…_

The henchman ran dry as I came back to my senses – I looked up to see the Joker standing a foot from me, looking like he was…absolutely amazed. He should be, because I had just shown him my true self – my vampire.

_As well as all the students_…

I slunk back, not afraid of them but afraid of what I had brought down on my family – none of them had ever killed like _this_. They had killed inconspicuously when they slipped – I had killed _outright_.

It was at that moment, that Emmett _and_ Jasper came through the high, open windows in the auditorium – they sailed through the air gracefully, but when they looked up at me from where they landed in front of the platform…they looked absolutely pained.

I could see the blood was taking a toll of them, and so their eyes stayed locked on mine.

"Isabella?" Jasper said quietly, in his sweet Southern drawl.

I whimpered, "Jasper…"

He was picking me up in the next second, holding me closely to his chest – I dry-sobbed against him as I was consumed in his brotherly-love. He shushed me, and I had just enough time to look up and see the entire class slump onto their desks. The groans from the injured and dying quietened – with a dose of something from Jasper, I assumed – and I watched Emmett clean up after me, destroying evidence and getting my bag and hoodie.

"I'm so sorry, Darlin'," Jasper breathed, looking down at me with sorrowful black eyes. "I never wanted this to happen to you."

I just whimpered pathetically and clung to him, my closest brother.

He ran and scaled the wall with ease, perching himself on the sill of the window he entered through – I watched as he turned back to look for Emmett, who followed him up not a second later.

Before he turned and dropped down into the trees Gotham Park, which lay next to the College, I saw a pair of brown-green eyes watching me intently. The Joker was slumped over from Jasper's power like everyone else, but he wasn't asleep – he began to crawl towards the door, backwards, as he watched me. There was something in his eyes and faint grin that told me it wasn't the last that I'd see of him.

Jasper dropped from the window, with me in his arms, and landed silently on a thick branch of a tree. Emmett followed, and they hopped from tree-top to tree-top silently through the park, leaving behind the sound of sirens and police cars.

**

* * *

**

Joker

I didn't pause as I made my way into the corridor outside of the main auditorium – two of my guys looked down at me, obviously unaware of what had transpired in the other room.

"Let's roll, boys," I muttered as they helped me up and hurried through to the janitor's closet – I didn't understand why the College would have an underground connection, but I was grateful now.

It was our emergency escape route.

Once the small hatch in the floor was opened, we dropped through and hurried down the sewer-like tunnel.

"Mario's waiting with the van," one of them said, and I nodded, using my own strength to get myself out of here – whatever _they_ were, they had certainly done a number on me.

My sleepiness was easing up, now, and I was finally able to think through what I had only just witnessed – which was my kitten chewing through two of my guys' necks. A part of me was turned on by the blood running down from her sweet mouth, but the rest of me was intrigued – I _knew_ she wasn't normal, but the speed…the agility…

"Oh, she's _special_," I grinned to myself, making the boys turn and look at me curiously while they opened up the street hatch at the end of the tunnel. "I'm just thinkin' about my new crush – ever been in love, boys? Your heart just feels ten-times lighter."

They opened the hatch, looking at each other with disbelieving faces – Mario was waiting with his engine already running a yard away, and I called shotgun. It wasn't a second later that we were peeling away from outside of Gotham Park's gates and were on the main street, hidden in the afternoon traffic.

"You alright, Boss?" Mario asked, turning off down a small side street.

"Yeah, yeah – I'm _dandy_. Let's get inside – I've got someone to find," I said quietly. "Find out everything you can about _Isabella Swan_ – I mean _everything_. I want to know what her shoe size and favourite colour is by the end of the day."

Mario nodded – he was efficient…no fun at all. He'd do for now – until he found _her,_ for me.

"Isabella," I murmured, her name rolling off of my tongue pleasantly. "I'm going to find you…"

_**

* * *

**_

Author's note:

_So sorry about the delay! *Does 'pretty-please-forgive-me' face* Updates should be coming faster now! :D Thank you to everyone for all the reviews, etc. It's great to know that this Fic has interested people!_


	3. Mystery

_**Author's note: **__Bella throws up, so, you know…this is a warning to just skim over that part if you don't want to read it. I kind of icked myself out writing it, but I maintain that it had to be done thoroughly (:_

**

* * *

**

Bella

I lay on the couch in the living room, staring at the frozen picture on the TV – four dead men lay on a stage, each of them mangled beyond belief. I looked into their eyes through the hair that had fallen over my face when I had collapsed onto this couch three days ago.

And then suddenly, I knew I wasn't alone anymore – but I didn't care either.

"_Fuck_, she's watching it again," Emmett hissed, and the channel was immediately changed over from the paused news report.

I stared unseeingly at the Western that now played out on the screen – I still saw the bodies of the men I killed.

I saw Emmett and Jasper move into my peripheral vision, but I didn't look up or move – I was so _tired_…

"Has she hunted, yet?" I heard Jasper ask Emmett quietly.

Emmett shook his head sadly, "Man, she hasn't _moved_ from that spot in three days – how the Hell would she have hunted?"

Jasper growled at him sharply, then turned to me – he walked over cautiously, like I was a bomb that would explode any second.

"Bella? Hon'?" He asked sweetly, and I winced at his kindness – I didn't deserve it. "I can't feel what you're feelin', Sweetheart – you're shuttin' me out. But I know you need to hunt – you need blood, Bella. Come on…"

What did he mean 'shutting him out'? I'd never been able to block him with my shield before – but even my curiosity wasn't enough to have me move, or speak.

"Bella, if you don't get your ass off that couch I'm going to pick you up and _make_ you hunt," Emmett warned – I still didn't move. "Fuck it," he hissed. "I'm not having my sis wasting away."

The next thing I knew, I was in his strong arms and wind was whipping through my hair. I didn't breathe, didn't blink, didn't twitch – Emmett stared down at me angrily.

"Compassion isn't working for you, Bells – so, now you're getting tough love," he growled – I just stared at all the tiny strands and threads in his shirt, wondering if I had paid attention to something insignificant in the auditorium I would have distracted myself enough from going all newborn…

Suddenly, I was unceremoniously dropped to the earthen ground and I landed with a dull thud.

My hair splayed out over the dirt and crunchy leaves pressed against my face uncomfortably – I didn't care.

"Get up, Bells," Emmett growled, circling me. "So help me God, I will hunt for you if you don't and I'll force-feed you. I _will not_ see you do this to yourself – you're too good."

I involuntarily winced again – _not good, not good, not good…_

"_Fine_," he hissed, his face contorting in anger and pain.

I watched him run away to find me blood out of the corner of my eye, and then I focused on and stared at my hand that lay palm up in front of my face, on the ground. I had used that hand to _kill_…

My mind whirred – should I drink the blood Emmett was getting, should I run while his back was turned and never come back, should I–

Emmett's return knocked me out of my continual thought loop, "Right. Deer – lovely, lovely deer, Bells. Now, are you going to latch on, or am I going to squeeze the blood into your mouth?"

I watched him kneel in front of me, holding the dying creature in his large arms – it keened and bucked, pleading to be let go through its actions. I had killed hundreds of deer slaking my thirst, but now…I felt those deer weighing down on my shoulders along with the men I killed…

Emmett sighed, "Me squeezing it is."

He snapped its neck with a flick of his littlest finger and broke the skin – the thick blood oozed out quickly, and Emmett tipped my face up as he held the bleeding wound over my parted mouth. He pressed his thumb into the corner of my jaw, forcibly keeping my mouth open – I allowed it.

The blood trickled down my throat slowly, and Emmett held the deer between his chest and his arm still over my mouth, so his other hand was free to work my throat. He wasn't cruel or harsh, but the sensations were odd and unpleasant.

I tried not to taste the deer blood, knowing how bad it would be after trying human blood – I kept silent and still, letting the blood run through my system.

Suddenly, everything changed.

It started as a flutter – a harmless flutter in my stomach – and I thought it was something to do with my thirst being quenched. I had never gone so long without hunting before. But then it turned into a churning feeling – I remembered it in my human memories quite clearly, and I knew that the nausea slowly creeping over me meant I was going to be sick.

I felt my body impossibly break out into a boiling cold sweat, and my vision blurred slightly – I moved for the first time in days. I covered my mouth, pushing at the deer and Emmett to get them away from me.

Emmett growled, "No, Bells. You need this. You're drinking it."

I shook my head from side-to-side helplessly, feeling so weak and my body turning limp from the nausea. Emmett pulled my hand from my mouth, pushing the neck of the deer between my involuntarily parted lips – I writhed and kicked out, until the deer was flung from me by my wildly flailing arm.

Emmett pinned me in my hysteria, and I screamed and screamed.

His voice became soft, "You need to drink, Bells. I'm doing this for your own good – you know that."

I gasped for air, my nausea reaching its peak, "_No_…"

My body convulsed, and I dimly heard footfalls running towards us – gasps, hisses and growls followed the footsteps, but my head was spinning so fast that I couldn't pin-point anything.

In one moment of clarity, I suddenly turned hollow and felt the unstoppable motions running through my body.

I blindly turned my head to the side, my mouth parting instinctively as I gagged and retched – I could feel the animal blood rising in my throat, and I retched harder.

I vomited.

I couldn't stop.

I felt the weight of Emmett over me pulled away, and I turned over onto my hands and knees as the vile blood left my body. I choked and spluttered, feeling more than blood passing my lips – I tried not to breathe in, but my human instincts made me when I had a second spare.

I retched harder at the smell of the blood, and…venom – I was throwing up venom. I opened my bleary eyes to see silver and dark red on the ground before me – they were mixing and turning jet-black.

I couldn't stop.

I slammed my hands into the ground, trying to grab onto something and steady myself as I emptied my supposedly indestructible stomach. I keened in pain, just like the deer, as I felt the mixture burning my throat and making it as raw as I remembered my immediate newborn thirst had made it to be.

My throat was on fire, and my stomach was hollow.

That's how I was left when the nausea passed and I collapsed onto my side on the ground.

Carlisle was the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes again – he quickly wiped away the venom I could feel on my lips, which was burning my skin in a way that had never happened before.

He threw the material away that he wiped my mouth with, and muttered to someone, "Burn it."

His compassionate, golden eyes looked sadly down on me, and I whimpered involuntarily as my stomach tightened uncomfortably in the aftermath of my sickness.

"Bella, I'm so sorry. If I had known this would happen to you, I swear I would never have allowed Emmett to force-feed you," he said softly, and I groaned as my stomach clenched again.

I felt a warm hand on my face, and I knew it was Edward.

Hands turned me over onto my back carefully, and his beautiful face appeared above me, "Love? I'm so sorry, Love. It's my fault, too – I gave him my permission as well."

I tried to wrap my head around what they were saying, and it was difficult in my hazy state, but I eventually managed it – they had all given permission for Emmett to force-feed me.

_Me_.

_My_ body.

_My_ throat.

_My_ stomach.

_Mine_.

I was so angry – I was so unbelievably hurt by their actions, even while they were done out of love. My burning gaze landed on the rest of my family standing at my feet and looking ashamed and guilty.

I hissed roughly, "You…have…_no_ _idea_…how much…that _FUCKING HURT_…"

"Bella," Edward sighed. "We were trying to help you – we didn't want to see you waste away. We love you. If we knew this was going to happen, we would never have allowed it – Alice hasn't been able to see you, so we had no idea."

I saved the part about Alice for another time, and closed my eyes, gasping, "What…just happened?"

Carlisle groaned in defeat, "It's not good news, Bella. Your body…it's rejected animal blood."

I opened my eyes and gave him a harsh look that said, '_I fucking know that_.'

"It's incompatible," he continued sadly. "It's very rare – I have only seen in once, in my time with the Volturi. You…_must_ keep a diet of…human blood. Animal blood can never sustain you again."

I felt venom prick my eyes – my worst fear, of killing more people, was coming true. A pained sob escaped me as Carlisle ran his hand through his hair in his stress – it was obvious there was nothing he could do.

I was going to be a monster.

"Can't _anything_ be done?" Edward asked, obviously not gleaning the right information from Carlisle's mind as I had from simply looking at his face.

"No," Carlisle murmured. "No one has ever found out what causes it and the Volturi have been looking for answers for centuries – they have come up with nothing, and they have concluded that it is just some kind of random genetic anomaly."

I saw Edward turn to me, looking pained, but his eyes shone with something else…

I looked up at him curiously as he sat back on his heels, and I asked roughly, "Edward?"

"I don't want you to be a monster," he whispered, and it was like a slap in the face – my _husband_ thought I was a monster.

The man who was supposed to love me thought I was a monster.

Anger and hurt tore through me, rivalling the pain of throwing up my insides – I leapt up and crouched on the other side of the small, leafy clearing we were in, using strength I didn't know I had. I faced my family, and I saw it in each of their eyes – they all believed I was a monster.

Except Jasper.

He exploded, "_What_! How the _Hell_ can you say that, Edward? Bella is _not_ a monster! It's not her fault! An' what's wrong with bein' a human-drinker anyway – I know we choose animals, but there _are_ human-drinkers who _aren't_ soul-suckin' demons, Edward!"

Jasper jogged over to me, and lifted me into his warm and safe embrace with no care about his safety in my furious and horribly shaken-up state.

Edward gave him a long look, and I knew what it said – it said, '_Bullshit_.' He didn't believe that there were _nice_ human-drinkers – I had met Peter, Char and Garrett, and I _knew_ there were.

I was just worried about being able to be good like them, or ending up slaughtering like the Volturi.

Jasper hissed at them all, "I can't believe none of you are stickin' up for Bella!"

The others didn't say a word, and I began to see them all in a different light – my best friend, my sister, my brother, my parents and my husband, they were being _assholes_.

"What about Peter and Char?" Jasper growled, this Texan upbringing coming into play more forcefully in his anger, "Y'all met them plenty of times – there've never been two better people!"

I saw Alice wince, and I felt Jasper stiffen – _I _knew that Alice didn't like meeting Peter and Char, she felt like they were bringing Jasper's past back to haunt her and she didn't like them very much for it, but Jasper didn't know and it looked like he was _just_ finding out.

A vicious growl started up in his chest, rumbling against my head – I was so shocked at him growling at Alice, _his wife and mate_, that I only had_ just enough_ time to snap myself out of my frozen state and get Jasper's attention before he did or said something he would regret.

He was fiercely protective of Peter and Char, the two people who saved his life in more ways than one and brought him to us.

I patted his cheek, almost like a child, and he looked down at me with softened eyes.

I croaked, giving him a tiny smirk, "_I_ like them. Peter taught me how to insult so well and intelligently that you don't know you're _being_ insulted until it's too late, and Char taught me how to threaten Jenks properly."

Jasper sighed, kissing my forehead softly and whispering in my ear only for me, "You stay with me, Bella, an' I'll help you through this."

I nodded a tiny amount, still shocked about my family's…well, _betrayal_ – I just hoped that as soon as we worked out a way for me to live on human blood without slaughtering hundreds of innocents, they would see reason. This break was like a momentary separation in our immortal lives.

"Thank you," I murmured to Jasper and he gave me a smile and a nod, before looking back at our assembled family.

"Don't try to find us. I'll keep us safe and I will make sure Bella stays on the right path – I'll call…if necessary."

Alice looked absolutely shattered, and Edward didn't look any better – but I thought that his pain was for a completely different reason than Alice's. He was hurting because now he was married to a _monster_ – I wondered if this hadn't happened, when I would have found out he could be so easily deterred from loving me.

As Peter would say, it was a short, sharp kick in the nut-sack.

Jasper nodded, seeing this was the final 'goodbye' to our family before we left – they didn't say a word, they just watched us with sad, pained eyes.

"Give us ten minutes," Jasper breathed, turning and running for the house. "I've got an apartment in the central part of the city, Darlin'. We'll stay there while I help you, and I'll call in Peter and Char – they can help you hunt."

I exhaled softly, "Thank you, again. I'm sorry that this is taking you away from Alice."

He shushed me, "Don't say that, Bella. Alice and I have never seen eye-to-eye concerning blood diets and my choice of friends and family – we need this break and we'll be fine. _You_ just have to worry about _you_, Bella, and not going out in public – the Police think you've been kidnapped and are being held hostage, and we've put out 'missing' posters all through the city while you were frozen on the couch. You've got to be careful from now on."

I nodded, resigning myself to the fact that this was going to be the next chapter of my life whether I liked it or not.

**

* * *

**

Joker

I smiled to myself as I watched the tiny TV set in my office, which used to belong to Valentino. In fact, I could still see the blood stains on the floor by the door from when we forcibly took this place, if I tilted my head…just…_so_.

But the TV was far more engaging.

I sat back with my arms behind my head as I watched pretty Caroline Carr announcing the Gotham news.

"_Crime_," she stated, her blue eyes flashing under her blonde bangs – _oh, this was personal to her_…_whatever it was_… "There are still _no more leads _for Gotham Police concerning the killings at Gotham College earlier this week. Police have been given accounts that hold infamous madman _the Joker_ responsible for the bloodshed, but there has been no evidence to support these claims.

"All students who were involved cannot remember anything about the events that occurred right in front of their _very eyes_, and one student was even found missing. _Isabella Swan'_s adoptive family are pleading for her safe return," Caroline said, while a picture of my kitten appeared on the screen.

After that, I tuned out and studied _Isabella's_ photo – she had striking golden eyes, much more different from the black orbs that I had seen, and I inwardly wondered whether they gave a clue to whom she really was.

_Eyes are the window to the soul…or the brain if you need to kill someone quickly… Now, I'm just getting off-track…_

Mario had found that she was adopted by the wealthy Cullen family years ago, and not much else – Isabella Swan was just…a mystery.

And she had a past that didn't seem to exist.

"A mystery with a terribly fine ass," I drawled, spinning in the chair to face the office door – I could feel someone was outside. "You gonna come in?"

Mario opened the door and poked his head around the corner, "Boss, I…uh, well, I found somethin'."

I waved him in, a smirk on my face – depending on the usefulness of his news, he was going to find himself lying on the floor with a sore throat in the next…three minutes.

"_And_?"

"And," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand and handing over a file with the other, "I think I've found the girl's past."

I opened the manila file and found myself looking at a…different Isabella Swan – she had the same mahogany curls and the same pale, heart-shaped face, but there was more baby-fat and her eyes were a dark chocolate.

She looked ordinary.

Something she certainly wasn't _now_.

"You think she got work done?" I asked, a smile curling my ruby-red lips as I gestured to my painted face.

Mario winced, "A fuck-load if that _was_ her – her daddy, Cullen, is a Doctor, so…_maybe_. But…the really fuckin' weird thing is, this girl here," he pointed at the picture in the folder, "is on her way to thirty, now, but that girl there," he pointed at the TV where her photo was still up, "is nineteen. But something tells me she isn't nineteen, Boss."

"Maybe," I said, throwing the folder on the desk, "she got into trouble and decided to lift…almost ten years off her face. You have any information on the older Isabella?"

He nodded, "Her daddy's a cop – Chief of Police – and it seemed she got into trouble a _couple _of times. Her medical records are fuckin' messed up though, Boss – that girl spent more time in the hospital than I've spent breakin' people's faces."

I nodded – Mario had served his purpose.

"Go see Grant in the basement – he's got a job for you to do," I muttered, smirking at him slightly – _it was a job about five inches long and very shiny, with a pretty, engraved handle…_

Mario left, and I wondered what my next move should be – _Isabella, Isabella, Isabella…_

She wasn't meant to be at her house – she was meant to be being held hostage, but I knew that was a load of bull – but it couldn't hurt to…check the joint out.

* * *

I gave the two guys behind me a withering look – they were incompetent assholes.

"Stay in the car," I murmured, staring them down – they both nodded and sat back, twitching in their cop uniforms.

I put on my aviator sunglasses and picked up a toothpick – _I was a perfectionist if anything…_

I slammed the squad car door shut behind me, and glanced up at the Cullen mansion – I straightened out my tie and hat, and walked up to the front door of the house with an arrogant cop swagger. I felt kind of naked without my war paint, but I could survive without it for a little longer if it meant I got an inside look at Isabella's home.

It took less than a couple of seconds for the door to open after I knocked – it was opened by none other than Dr. Cullen.

I cocked my head, "Sir, I _would_ like to check your premises – we've had a call about suspicious goings on and strange noises in the immediate area. A couple of your neighbours have called it in, and I'd just like to check everything out."

His eyes were gold too, I noticed as he waved me inside, "Come in, Officer…?"

"Officer Jay," I smirked.

He nodded, his perfect blonde hair falling into his eyes slightly, "I'll show you around, Officer. My youngest son is the only one here at the moment with me, and you're welcome to ask him if he's seen or heard anything."

I tipped my hat slightly, taking in grandeur of the foyer and the living room, "That _would_ be helpful, Sir."

When a tall, pale boy with red-brown hair jogged down the stairs to my right, I smirked again – he had golden eyes, too.

_They're meant to be adopted… So, they all have the same weird eyes by random? I don't think so…_

I smiled, "Hello, Son. There's been some kind of disturbance in the area – heard anything?"

He looked at me quizzically for a moment, narrowing his eyes and pursing his lips – he didn't look like he was considering my question.

_Well, that's just rude…_

I shook my head, dismissing him, "I'll take a look around now, Sir."

I did a quick walk of the perimeter, checking out windows and doors – I checked over the bottom floor under the wary eyes of the 'Bronze-Haired Idiot' as I named Dr. Cullen's youngest son. He trailed me as I checked out the vast upstairs complex, and when I came to a certain room, he looked…_wary_.

He spoke for the first time, "What are you looking for? That's just mine and... That's just _my_ room."

I had a quick peek, and I found something…odd.

"Women's clothing?" I asked him, raising a suggestive eyebrow – the kid had girls' clothes in his closet, and it amused me greatly.

"My…girlfriend's," he growled, and I raised my hands in mock-surrender.

I chewed on my toothpick, "I don't judge. I wouldn't care if you dipped yourself in motor oil and threw yourself into a biker bar."

I was just about to leave, finding no evidence of my kitten being anywhere around here – but my surveillance may come in handy in the future – when a flash of silver caught my eye.

It was a photo frame on the window sill – a picture of the Bronze-Haired Idiot and my kitten,_ kissing_.

I suppressed my growl, "_That _your girlfriend?"

He looked worried for a second as he froze – that girl was posing as some kind of adoptive sister to him, but in actual fact was his _girlfriend_?

This family was…all different kinds of fucked up.

He was still frozen – well, he couldn't very well say Isabella _was_ his girlfriend.

I just enjoyed making him squirm.

I smirked, stepping out of the room, "Don't worry, Kid – I'm sure you'll think of an excuse in a minute."

I jogged downstairs and was met by Dr. Cullen, "Nothing out of the ordinary, Sir, but your son has an interesting photo. Tell him to give me a call when he figures out what he wants to say about it."

I gave him a nod and left.

My boys were restless in the car by the time I reached them at the bottom of the Cullens' drive, and one of them turned to me when I got in, "What's up then, Boss?"

"I've found out some…disturbing things – like when you first find out that babies come from between your momma's legs. Now, drive. I've got a couple of places to be tonight," I growled.

We sped off towards the city central, where I had an appointment at Gotham Bank – can't focus on a strange girl 24/7, a man needs some smash and grab downtime.


	4. Want

_**Author's note: **__I apologise to those people who think there might be a Jasper/Bella pairing in this story – their relationship is strictly brother and sister, and the true, original pairing of Joker/Bella won't change. Sorry if I inadvertently led you on my lovely readers! Thank you for all your reviews and support in my quest to create a story for this unusual pairing (:_

**

* * *

**

Bella

I lay back on the couch in Jasper's apartment, staring at the white ceiling and the glowing light bulb above my head. It was a beautiful little place – completely to Jasper's taste, with Civil War memorabilia and other paraphernalia that was surprisingly well-looked after.

Peter and Char had arrived five days ago to help me with my hunting and give their support. They were currently enjoying each other in their bedroom – they were easy to ignore though, with my tumultuous thoughts.

It was exactly a week ago that my family and my husband had turned their backs on me, and it was almost a week ago that I took down and fed off a human in my grief.

Jasper had stayed back a little, but was in complete control as he directed me on how to make a clean kill. It was a guy from a local gang, notoriously evil and sadistic, and Jasper had told me that it was okay to cry for him even if he deserved his fate.

I did cry.

I sobbed into Jasper's shoulder for hours because I had lost my family, my marriage, and my purity.

As soon as Peter had walked through that apartment door, he had told me that I was worth _anything_ – he had known with his 'gift' which way my thoughts were turning.

I was thinking of running.

I was thinking of making Jasper go back to Alice and running while he was occupied with his wife – except Peter had 'known' my plan and he told me in no uncertain terms that it wouldn't work and Jasper would follow me to the ends of the earth.

I had nodded and turned away to look out of the window at the black city.

It seemed like something was moving out there these days – something was growing and massing, pressing down on the people of Gotham, and I was 100% sure that the Joker had something to do with it.

I was grateful to Jasper, Peter, and Char – they had kept me safe and had taught me how to feed on humans – but I felt a chill run up my spine now and then…and I knew something was coming for me.

I didn't want them around when it did.

Because whatever it was, I would let it take me.

I was becoming a burden, a pain – I wasn't a grown-up friend or sister anymore, I was someone who needed to be taught and cared for like a child.

It hurt.

Peter and Char swapped 'I love you's and I heard them snuggle together, but I found that my heart didn't ache for Edward anymore – he had hurt me one time too many.

I felt like I was void right now – I had nothing to do since Jasper was out hunting in the forest, and Peter and Char were in their own little love bubble.

I needed a distraction.

I rolled off the couch silently and reached for my coat on the hook by the front door – no one called my name. I looked towards the archway on the other side of the lounge, which led to a little hallway on which were our bedrooms and the bathroom – I narrowed my eyes suspiciously.

No one was stopping me.

I was still not allowed out on my own, due to my picture being up everywhere – I wondered why Peter wasn't tackling me to the ground already.

I wasn't complaining, but it unnerved me – Peter didn't know where I was going…his gift wasn't working… I couldn't decide if it was a good or bad thing, but my walk wouldn't be long and I was an indestructible vamp – so, I left a little note on the kitchen table and silently crept out of the apartment.

I didn't breathe until I was in the elevator at the end of the hallway and had arrived on the bottom floor.

It wasn't a flashy apartment building, but it had a doorman – a nice one at that. I had already pulled my hood up on my coat in the elevator, and I waved at Boris as I passed by the front desk – he smiled and waved back. Everyone knew there was an odd girl in the building, but no one asked questions – from the gossip I heard with my vamp-hearing, they thought I had some kind of facial disfigurement.

I let them think it – I didn't care.

I jogged down the front steps, into the cold night air – it was going to rain, I could feel the pressure in the atmosphere, and a part of me relished the thought of getting rained on.

I loved the rain – any kind of weather really – and I smiled to myself slightly as I walked down the street and heard the first drops of water hit the pavement.

It didn't take long for it to turn into a downpour, and I took in the fresh air – of course, there wasn't much of that in this city, but the rain always cleansed the smoky smell a little.

I wandered for an hour or so, staying away from the city centre, on which Jasper's apartment was on the outskirts of, and avoiding bright lights. My jeans and button-down were soaked through, my coat was dripping, and my Converse were squeaking with water…but I hadn't felt so good in ages.

It took a lot for a vampire to feel something, and the rain was like a little wake up call telling me I was still here and still alive.

I was glad I took the walk.

I decided to turn back, knowing that Jasper would be home soon and Peter and Char would eventually find out I'd gone AWOL – I absentmindedly petted my apartment keys in my pocket as I walked back, but I kept my mind and senses sharp. It wouldn't do to bump into a tasty human – I was still building strength against the call of their blood. It was easier to ignore my bloodlust as a human drinker, not denying myself the elixir that called to me, but I still had trouble controlling my urges.

I took the back-alleys to Jasper's apartment, flitting down streets at vampire-speed when no humans were around – but I could feel something following me…

My ears detected an odd noise a little way behind me – a _swooshing_ sound that seemed to peter out in the night air almost instantly. I let my nostrils take in the scents around me, searching for any danger as I silently padded down a narrow alley near the apartment building – my nose twitched as I smelt wet leather, metal, human blood…

I smiled thinly through the few wet curls that hung over my face – if it was who I thought it was, then he was in for a surprise…

The _swooshing_ sound grew louder, and I purposefully measured my steps and slowed down – I wanted to know why he was following me, and I wanted to let him know I also didn't appreciate it.

When the alley opened up into a small, walled area between buildings, I stopped and stood firmly in the centre – I heard him drawing closer, and I could hear his heart beating as well as feel his confusion on my sudden stop.

I heard a soft thud as he landed on a rooftop next to me, watching me standing there in the pouring rain – I could almost hear his lips turn down into a confused frown.

"Hello," I said softly, musically – it was my best voice, my alluring voice.

Char had helped me with it, since it was the best lure for my feed – humans flocked to me when I used that voice…

I heard his slow and steady heart beat pick up in attraction and confusion, and I heard his leather clothing creak slightly as he moved closer above me.

"Are you ignoring a lady's greeting?" I asked quietly, my voice retaining its musicality.

I focused on a puddle in front of me, and I saw his black shape shift above me slightly in the reflection – not that I would need sight to know where he was…

A gruff voice came then, "Who are you?"

I smiled to myself, "Wouldn't you like to know."

I heard his muscles flex before he dropped down next to me, and I didn't move an inch – I stared through my curls at the puddle still.

"Tell me who you are," he demanded roughly, and I tutted.

"Don't be rude, _Batman_," I murmured softly, smiling to myself again as his heart rate picked up – I hadn't realised that humans were so…_easy_.

He growled, "Your name."

"_Isabella_," I purred, finally turning to look into his deep blue eyes.

His mask was skin-tight, and I chuckled internally – humans wouldn't be able to recognise his face, but vampires could. The Cullens and I had long discussions about who Batman could possibly be, and now I knew. His face was all over the city – statues, posters…

Bruce Wayne's eyes grew dark, and I gave him a sinful smile – everyone knew of his exploits with women, and maybe I could use that to find out why he was following me.

He smirked slightly as he said lowly, "A beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

I knew I _looked_ like a girl, but I _was_ a woman – I had the charm of a woman, and the lure of one. The Batman would be no different to any other human male…

"Thank you," I smiled. "Now, why would the big, bad Bat be following a beautiful woman?"

His face darkened slightly, obviously remembering his purpose, "Are you Isabella Swan?"

I laughed softly, "Yes."

"You were thought kidnapped or dead – why are you here and how did you know you were being followed?" He asked in a growling voice.

I turned, tipping my face up to his as I rested my hands on his armour-covered shoulders, "I might tell you, if you tell me why you want to know?"

"Those bodies in the auditorium were drained of blood, and there wasn't enough on the floor to account for all that was lost – I don't know what you did, but I know you were responsible."

I brushed my fingertips over his strong jaw, "Why would that be because of me? What about the Joker?"

"Not the Joker's style, _Isabella_," he growled.

I smiled, "Is that why you're following me, to find out where I've been hiding so you can capture me?"

"I can do that now," he breathed, his large arms starting to come around me.

Everything was in slow motion as I watched him try to grab me – I easily slipped from his arms and flipped through the air. I waited for him to catch up, standing a metre or so behind him – he looked at his empty hands in awe.

I laughed softly, "Not nice play, Bruce – trying to grab a lady."

I watched him turn, shock playing over his face – I didn't need to know what he was asking.

"I know a lot about you," I breathed, sashaying closer. "I'm not just a pretty face."

"What are you?" He asked, his voice sounding more normal as he forgot to mask it in his shock.

"I'm not telling," I whispered playfully, my alluring voice coming out in full-force – I felt my primal urges rising as I used it more and more, knowing that his blood could sustain me as he was the nearest human…

Batman's eyes glazed over, and I knew he was thoroughly dazzled – the man liked women too much for his own good.

I pressed my soaking wet body to his, and smiled up at him wickedly as I purred, "_Bruce_…"

He moaned slightly, his tongue wetting his lips – I could hear his heart pounding in his chest in his attraction, and I let my breath fan over his face to accelerate my power over him. He could not be allowed to find me again, or follow me home – I would just leave him dazed enough so I could get back to the apartment.

I let his hands grip my hips, and I let him move me back against the stone wall behind us – his strength was _nothing_ on mine, but I reined mine in.

His mouth found my jaw and breathed heavily against my neck as his lips caressed the skin there – I smiled, enjoying the sensations of being with someone like this again. It was wrong, but my inner-animal liked it – she was in control now.

I held his face as I turned and let my lips brush his – he moaned again, and I knew if I was human his grip would be crushing my hipbones.

Just then, I heard a voice that I never thought I would hear again.

"Careful, Bats – she bites."

**

* * *

**

Joker

I stared at the scene, enjoying the way I had figuratively caught the Bat with his pants down but not enjoying the way my kitten was the one who made him drop them.

Jealousy was an odd emotion for a guy like me, but it was burning bright and I was sure my eyes were emerald with it. My kitten's gaze was black as she smirked at me over Bats' shoulder – she was soaked through and looked downright sinful.

I heard my back-up of two guys shuffle behind me – there was no point coming heavy to a fight with the Bat, and I was sure that my kitten wouldn't disappoint me tonight by attacking me.

The Bat growled, "_Joker_…"

Isabella slipped down between the wall and Bats and stepped away – her curvy body was deliciously shown off by her wet clothes, and I felt my chest ache with want.

That was new.

Not the want – I was still a guy, no matter how 'crazy' – but the ache. Sex was a release for me, but thinking about it with Isabella it made it feel like a pleasure.

I smiled at her, giving a short mock-bow, "_My lady_…"

Bats growled at her, "You're _with_ him? Should have guessed…"

Isabella smiled, running one finger down his armour-plated chest, "_Batman_…"

His eyes clouded slightly, and I smiled at my kitten – whatever demon she was, she was mighty fine and knew how to work it. I kept my eyes on her as she circled the Bat, and my boys stood by me and watched her too with fascinated eyes.

Isabella's black eyes connected with mine as she circled, "I find men…easy to control."

"_Some_ guys are easy to play," I smirked, "but not all of them."

My kitten padded towards the men beside me – her black eyes smouldered and her pink lips were curled up at the corners, as she gave a magnificently arousing 'come hither' expression.

The want in my chest expanded, but I didn't move – her games wouldn't work so well on me.

But the boys were _delighted_.

"Hey, Sugar," one of them purred, stepping forwards, and I watched in amusement as the sucker was torn down.

Isabella caressed his neck briefly, before hiding her doings beneath her wild, wet curls and dark hood – there was no noise except for a snap, and after a moment she laid him on the floor. The other guy was still standing, looking dazed, and the Bat wasn't fairing any better – I wondered how she did it, but decided to watch her work instead.

The second guy went down faster than the first, but this one she took her time over – I remembered the way she had drawn the blood viciously from the guys on the stage, and I shivered at the memory. There was something…erotic about it – the way her eyes shut, the way her lips caressed their necks, the way her hands gripped their bodies…

I found myself slinking forwards, eager to get closer to her – my kitten's eyes snapped open and up when I stood a foot from her. A low growl echoed from her – it was a clear warning to get the hell back.

When had I ever done something so simple?

I squatted down in front of her, the body lying between us as her mouth stayed glued to the guy's neck – I watched her through critical eyes as she watched me through wary ones. I wondered what she was, and I wondered why she drank blood – of course, there was the obvious, but even a 'madman' like me didn't believe in _vampires_.

But then this girl was making it hard to _not_ believe.

I found my hand making its way to her face as she drank – she growled again, but the warning wasn't so clear. The noise was confused, and she looked like she didn't mind me so much.

I just had to…

My fingertips brushed back her hood, and her pale face was completely revealed to me – I let my fingers make the trails they wanted over her fine features. Her mouth slowly pulled back from the guy's neck and her black eyes instantly lightened to the most stunning red possible – I thought that kind of crimson was reserved for blood alone, but her eyes held that deep shade and sparkled at me.

My hand ran over her, and through her long, wet curls – she purred.

I smirked at the noise – it was soft, it was long, it was happy, and I kind of liked it a little too much.

"My kitten," I breathed, pressing my cheek to hers as she purred softly – her skin was cold, but mine was hot and it made me shudder in pleasure at the difference in temperatures.

I rubbed my cheek against hers instinctively, my white make-up smudging her already pale skin – it felt good to me, and it felt…different at the same time. I liked it.

My lips brushed her cheek, the ruby-red of my make-up joining the white on her face – my scars weren't that sensitive anymore, but her cool skin made them tingle pleasantly.

Her breath was sweet against my mouth as I looked into her darkening eyes – I saw want there…animalistic, primal and pure want. I was sure my eyes echoed it.

As I was about to move my lips in those final few millimetres to claim her sweet mouth as my own, a growl sounded.

"Bella!"

I smiled slightly, cocking my head to the side and looking at the wet, blonde man that towered over us and the corpse, behind my kitten. His eyes were black as Isabella's had been, and if I had to choose a particular label to put to his expression right then, it would have been 'Fucking insane'.

"You'd fit right in in Arkham," I smirked.

He shook and trembled, and stared down at my kitten – I looked back into her eyes and saw they had turned pure crimson again.

"Jasper…" She whispered, not taking her eyes off of me.

I chuckled, "Sweetheart, do you do this to all the guys? Say it with me – _Jo-ker_. I don't want you forgettin' my name again, because I _certainly_ haven't forgotten _yours_, Isabella Swan."

I saw that tasty flash of anger and defiance that I thirsted for since the first time I saw it – it sparked in her eyes and it seemed to call the blonde over to her.

"Bella, come here," he murmured, his insanity and anger vanishing as he took in her sudden trembling.

I fought the instinctive narrowing of my eyes as I looked at him while he used that tone – she wasn't five, she didn't need to be patronized. I looked her over quickly – she _certainly_ wasn't five…

The blonde hissed, baring his teeth at me – I didn't flinch.

"I bet you brush three times a day," I grinned. "Don'tcha?"

His hands curled around Isabella's shoulders and pulled her away from me – another form entered the little courtyard, and he looked about as pissed off as the other guy. I cracked my knuckles and my neck, liking the way the turn of events was going.

The blonde handed my kitten over to the black shape, and she was immediately covered by shadow – I looked up to see if Bats was still there, and he was still staring off into space.

"Hey, Kitten," I grinned, talking to Isabella's dark, trembling form. "You ever think of becoming a full-time hypnotist? I bet Bats is havin' some _fun _in his downtime."

There was a soft sob, and I fought the urge to frown – my pretty little thing was upset, and I didn't like it.

"He wants a fuckin' rumble," a drawling voice growled – I assumed it was the shadow holding Isabella.

I was still on the ground over one of my boys, and I rolled him over as I replied, "Oh, I just _love_ a fight, Shadow – bare-knuckle doesn't tickle my fancy, but a knife fight…" I pretended to shiver in pleasure as I pulled out a short blade from my guy's front pocket, "It just…_does_ somethin' for me. I think I'm a little sick."

Two growls sounded after my statement, and I smiled as I stood up and brushed off some droplets of water from my dark purple suit.

"I eat guys like you for breakfast," Shadow growled, his drawl laid on thick.

"Oh, I don't doubt it," I smiled darkly towards his outline.

The blonde appeared before my face, and I smiled at him – he glared back as his hand came around my throat. I laughed as he lifted me up and slammed me against the wall – the rain fell down on me and him, and silence reigned.

"Whatcha gonna do, Hotshot?" I asked, smiling down at him.

He bared his teeth at me and leaned forward…

Suddenly, he was gone.

I looked up to find myself on the ground against the wall, with my kitten crouched in front of me and growling like a tiger.

"I'm givin' you an upgrade, Sweetheart," I murmured absently, a grin lighting my face as I watched her back arch as if she were getting ready to pounce.

Shadow had revealed himself and was staring at my tiger like the blonde next to him – I liked the noises Isabella was giving them…

"You won't touch him," she hissed menacingly, and even _I_ felt a little tingle of something at the base of my spine from the venom in her voice.

I looked past her sweet ass – after taking a moment to admire it, of course – and grinned at the two men, "Sorry, fellas – it seems my old lady doesn't want to let me out to play. Shame, shame…"

Then, I moved back to admire her ass some more.

I ignored what was going on around me and let my eyes wander over the curves before me – _oh, if we were alone, Sweetheart_…

"That's my fuckin' sister!" The blonde yelled, his fists shaking in fury.

I shrugged, "Not mine."

He took a step towards me and my tiger growled furiously, "_Not another step_."

I sat back and enjoyed the stand off with a big grin on my face – that was until Bats began to look more…coherent.

Shadow hissed, his dark eyes sparking, "Come on, Bella! We need to _leave_."

Isabella straightened out slowly, before looking back and checking me over…almost as if looking for injuries.

I gave her my best, sparkling smile, "I'm just peachy, Tiger."

Her red eyes turned soft for a moment, before she realised she was meant to be moving – she turned and ran down the alley, with the two men…

She only looked back once.

I stood up, brushing myself off a little and backing away from Bats.

When his confused eyes met mine, I smiled before disappearing into the night, "Doesn't my girl just make _such_ an impression?"


	5. Control

_**Author's note: **__Wow! Thanks to everyone who has been urging me to update sooner – it helps a little to get the chapter going (; Actually, it's kind of weird – this is the easiest Fic I've ever written. Not exactly in the way that it's easy-peasy to actually do – but I spend an hour or so on Word and I find I've already written half of it! I just go…'So, how many pages now after one hour? Holy crap! Five! And how many words? God, I'm almost done!' It's freaky – like there's some kind of magic in my fingers making me write really fast (: I'm a blur!_

**

* * *

**

Bella

Jasper and Peter were staring at me like I was the most insane woman on the planet.

I supposed I was.

"I don't know," I mumbled again.

Char came through the apartment door then, took off her rain-soaked coat and sat down next to me on the couch – she wrapped me up in her arms without a word, and the boys just sat on the opposite couch and stared at me.

"You defended him," Peter suddenly growled.

An involuntary whimper passed my lips, and Char tucked my head under her chin and brought me further into her comforting embrace – she gave Peter a good glare.

Jasper defended him – bros before hos, of course – "Char, she fuckin' defended him! _Him_! It's his fault that all of this happened in the first–"

I was out of Char's arms and in Jasper's face before he could finish his sentence – I growled, "_Don't say another fucking word_."

Jasper paled, if that were possible, "She _can't_, Peter…"

I turned my surely-black gaze on Peter, and he looked pretty pale too, "Are you going to speak up, Peter? Because if you are…"

I was angry, _furious_, and completely pissed off – I didn't know _why_, but I did know that if they kept talking about the Joker I was going to go B-A-N-A-N-A-S.

Peter shook his head, obviously sensing it was best not to test my non-existent patience. I nodded in satisfaction and slunk back – Char enveloped me in another embrace immediately, and I was happy she wasn't mad at me for getting pissed off with her mate.

I snuggled into Char, who began crooning to me sweetly and comfortingly – she had been out making sure that the bodies of the men I had killed were disposed of properly since we guessed the Joker and Batman wouldn't do it.

Jasper and Peter kept staring at me, and I didn't like it – I didn't want to go nuts again though.

I looked up at Char, and she looked down at me with a warm smile on her beautiful face, "Didn't you ever teach your man manners? It's rude for him to stare…"

As I trailed off, her eyes snapped up and she growled at Peter, "You're not fuckin' helpin', Petey."

When I looked back, Peter and Jasper looked ashamed.

Jasper sighed, running a hand through his blonde curls as his eyes lightened to gold, "I apologise, Bella. You know we love you, and we'd do anything for you."

Peter nodded, reached forward and squeezed my knee, "Sorry, Sugar."

I nodded, snuffling against Char's legs comfortably as I laid my head in her lap and she combed her fingers through my hair – I stiffened when it reminded me that the Joker had done the exact same thing…except his long, dexterous fingers felt so much better than Char's. Not that what Char was doing wasn't nice, but I had _purred _for the Joker…

I tried making the same noise for Char, but it didn't feel right – I looked up at her with what I'm sure was an extremely screwed up expression.

"Can you scratch my scalp a bit?" I asked – Char complied and I turned my head back so it was facing Peter and Jasper…but it still didn't feel right.

I tried to purr again, but the noise died in my throat.

Peter looked at me quizzically, "What are you doin', Bella? Does your throat hurt – are you thirsty?"

I shook my head and tried to purr for a third time – when it came out like a garbled mess, I growled in frustration.

"I can't do it," I frowned, staring at the wooden floorboards intently – maybe I had something wrong with me…

Why could I purr for a lunatic but not Char?

Jasper came and knelt in front of me, and he tipped my face up to his gently, "Can't do what, Bella?"

I looked up at him sadly, feeling defeated – there was something wrong with me – "I purred."

Peter laughed, "That wasn't a purr, Bella. That was the sound a cat makes when it's dropped into a blender."

I shook my head in frustration, and Char continued to stroke my hair soothingly – except now I knew I couldn't purr for _her_, it felt less soothing…

"I_ purred_," I reiterated, scrunching my eyebrows together.

Peter shrugged and Jasper took over with a roll of his eyes at him.

"Bella," Jasper smiled reassuringly. "What are you talkin' about, Darlin'?"

I looked up at him with wide and worried eyes, "Jasper, I _purred_…and now…I _can't_…"

"When did you purr, Bella?" He asked, and I shivered at the memory – it brought me a feeling of…_pleasure_.

"This evening…in the alley…" I murmured, closing my eyes and remembering the rain falling on us as the Joker ran his fingers through my hair, "He touched my face…he nuzzled my cheek…he…he ran his fingers through my hair…and I purred."

"Who did you purr for, Bella?" Jasper and Peter both asked me urgently, but I was lost in my thoughts…

I remembered the way his lips were a hair's breadth from mine, and the way his breath was surprisingly sweet…

I purred at the memory.

Char's fingers were hers no longer, and I imagined that the Joker was sitting where she was and soothing me by running his nails over my scalp. I smiled and purred louder, thinking of how he might lean down to brush his red lips against my ear and whisper something to me – it would probably be odd, or random, or kind of horrific…but I didn't really care. I could almost smell his sweet breath and feel it on my neck – I purred harder and arched my back slightly.

Suddenly, hands were shaking me from my day-dream.

I stopped purring and growled, feeling my eyes turn black – someone had interrupted us before…

Then I turned and looked up at a worried Char, and my dream dropped away.

I frowned and spoke without realising what I was saying, "I want him."

"Who?" Jasper asked, turning my face to him and looking at me with fear, horror, and pity – I didn't like the pity, and certainly not the fear…

"_Him_," I breathed. "The Joker."

**

* * *

**

Joker

I strolled through the doors and into the smoky, low-lit den where my boys were sitting and playing cards – someone had bet a kitten. It was sitting on the table in a pile of dollar bills and quaking as most of the large, leather-clad men around the table stared at it.

"Now, now," I chuckled. "Who bet the kitty?"

Leon turned around, "Me, Boss. I found it outside. Ian wants it for his kid."

I moseyed away, into my office, and sat back in my chair – of course, my thoughts turned to _my_ kitten…my tiger…my vampire…

"Mmm," I smirked.

A vampire.

My girl, my Isabella, was a vampire – I had looked into her age, researched the signs… She was a woman in a blooming girl's body, with cold and tough skin and crimson eyes – there was no way that she _couldn't_ be a vampire.

I thought about the way I had ran my fingers through her hair, and the way she had purred – it made something within me…_tingle_.

Oh, I needed to see her again and _soon_…

"Gio!" I called, spinning around in my chair slowly.

The tall, olive-skinned teen rushed in and stood on the opposite side of my desk, "Yes, Boss?"

"I need to find a woman – not the kind that hikes up her skirt, but the kind that lives somewhere I can't find," I smiled faintly, and Gio looked relieved – the guy was as square as they came, and looking for a whore was not what you would send Gio out to do.

Gio was quiet, and unremarkable – perfect for finding someone and watching them.

He nodded and I flicked him some notes I had written earlier and a photo of my tiger, "She lives in one of those buildings. I want you to find her apartment and tell me who is there with her. Go."

Gio went – he was out of that door like a shot. He was efficient – not fun, but efficient. He could live for a little longer.

That kitten on the card table stared mewling, and I looked at it from my seat behind my desk – it was orange, with dark stripes, and I smiled as I realised it was like a little tiger cub. I chuckled as I noticed it had a little red mouth – it was a cross between Isabella and me.

I twisted the chair, watching the kitten with calculating eyes – it looked back at me with wide, black orbs and I smiled. It was definitely going to Isabella when I found her.

"Ian, your kid's goin' to be disappointed," I said, walking out of my office and picking up the kitten. "My lady friend is goin' to like Jack here just fine."

**

* * *

**

Bella

Jasper and Peter had never told me what was going on, or why they were so worried about me – I assumed something was wrong with me, but I couldn't deny the pull I had to the Joker. It seemed…_natural_.

It _did_ scare me a little – I won't lie – but whenever I thought that, I remembered how good his fingers had felt and how I had purred so loudly for him…and how it had felt so _right_.

It hadn't been a couple of days since our last meeting when Char and I were snuggled on the couch, just talking, and the boys had left to hunt a little in their own ways. It wasn't long after that, that a knock came at the door to our apartment – we looked towards the door, knowing that the boys wouldn't knock and no one else ever came to our place.

I heard quick, light footsteps running from the door and I opened it up just as the elevator dinged at the end of the hall – I thought it was probably just a kid playing a prank, so I didn't try to catch them.

And then I heard it.

I opened up the door with a gasp, and the tiniest, cutest kitten I had ever seen met my eyes – he was small, and ginger, and mewling sadly. When it saw me, I thought it would be afraid – vampires were the highest-ranked predators out there, and he should have instinctively known to be afraid of me.

But he didn't.

He mewled again, louder, and came to the edge of the little white cardboard box he was in – it was full of shredded paper and there was evidence of food in there, but he looked so _hungry_.

His sad, black eyes seemed to plead with me and I picked up the box without another word and closed the apartment door. I flitted to the kitchen table and sat the box down – there was a dark green ribbon around it, and there was a little green card tucked into it.

I opened it up.

_My name's Jack._

_Look after me – I need to grow into my stripes._

I looked down at the kitten and saw dark stripes on his back, and I instantly knew – I knew the Joker had sent him to me. The Joker called me his kitten…his_ tiger_…

My first thought was that this was some kind of trick, but something in my gut told me it wasn't. I smiled at the thought that the Joker had named this kitten – he was an insane criminal, but he liked cats.

I slowly reached for Jack – he mewled a little at first, but when I began to draw my hand back he pounced on it and clung to my fingers. I smiled, picking him up and letting him curl up in my hands – he purred slightly as I tickled his chin, and it made me think of me purring for the Joker.

Joker's scent hit me as I lifted Jack closer to my face – I could smell the Joker's minty, sweet scent all over him, and it made me hum happily.

Suddenly, Char broke through my thoughts, and I spun around in shock – I had forgotten she was there. What was it about the Joker that made me lose myself?

"Bells?" She asked, with wide red eyes.

I smiled slightly, "His name is Jack."

He purred as I stroked him, but Char didn't look impressed. She came towards me and Jack pressed himself against me – he mewled in fear, and I shushed him soothingly.

Char hissed, "Bella, I'm starting to think you're insane."

My head snapped up, and I gaped at Char, _"What_? Char…"

She tugged her long blonde hair in frustration, and growled, "Do you know why Peter and Jasper are scared, Bells? They're scared for _you_ because you're mated with an insane criminal and you're getting a little insane yourself!"

I stared at her.

She had said…_mated_.

Mated. With the Joker. The _Joker_ was my _mate_.

Char seemed to realise she had said something she shouldn't have because she slapped a hand over her mouth and stared at me in horror.

Words tumbled from me, but none of them made any sense – Char's eyes glossed over a little and she grabbed me in a fierce hug. I cradled Jack carefully in my hands, and hugged her back – but I was still in shock.

"_Edward_…" I breathed, and Char pulled back, shaking her head.

"Hon', he was never your mate," she said softly, feelingly. "Eddie was more of a boyfriend, or a companion in vampire terms."

I already knew that – it had been buzzing around my mind for so long. I knew Edward and I were never meant to last, or he wouldn't have let me leave him like I did.

But the _Joker_?

"How… How do you know?" I asked, absentmindedly petting Jack and cuddling him to me.

"You said you purred for him, Bells," Char sniffed sadly. "We only do that for our true mates, and the way you protected him and pine for him…"

"Why are you crying?" I asked – because she was, she was sobbing softly right in front of me.

I saw it then – she had used the word 'insane'. In my shock I had blocked it out, but now…

"You called me insane," I hissed, feeling my hurt trying to swallow me whole.

"I didn't mean it, Bells!" Char gasped, "I was angry. I _am_ angry that your mate is–"

"The Joker?" I snarled, "Insane? Mental? A criminal? _How_ _dare you_?"

I felt my rage bubbling, and I knew why I had been so temperamental when the Joker was mentioned – I was protective of him. It didn't even seem to bother me anymore that he killed people, or he blew things up, or that he was clinically insane – I had killed; I had destroyed; I was a little insane…

I clutched Jack to me, and looked down at his precious little face – he was almost like proof that the Joker wasn't _all_ bad. He had given me a sweet little present, and it was one that didn't blow up like the kind that he often sent to the Mayor – it was a cute kitten that reminded him of me, and me of him…

I noticed Jack even had a red mouth – his fur was a darker shade of orange around his mouth, and it made him look like he was wearing the Joker's red make-up.

I smiled down at Jack, "I'm going to take good care of you little guy…"

I would, but first we needed food for him.

I snapped my head up to look at Char, who was about to apologise, "Save it, Char. I'm not going anywhere, I'm not saying anything to Jasper or Peter – I'm keeping this to myself for now. But someone should have told me!" I took a deep breath, "Can you go get some milk and some kitten food please?"

She nodded, not saying a word as she grabbed her coat and left the apartment.

I sighed, "Looks like you're not going to be popular around here, Buddy."

Jack meowed and pawed the ends of my curls playfully – I laughed and sat down on the couch, playing with him for a while before he curled up on my stomach and fell asleep on me.

I lay back and closed my eyes, wishing that I could sleep again – I hadn't thought I would miss it, but I did. I missed the way I could escape for just a few hours…

But I _didn't_ miss the way I could hear someone breaking into the apartment.

I kept still, automatically covering Jack protectively, as the apartment door was quietly broken open.

When the door opened, I caught _his_ scent…

**

* * *

**

Joker

Gio had been thorough in his observations, and he found my tiger's apartment, along with her three friends – they had been hard to track, but once found Gio had been easily able to monitor them.

I had given him little Jack to leave outside of Isabella's door, and now it was time for me to make my entrance – when I silently broke open that pretty, white apartment door, and shut it behind me, I knew that Isabella would be standing there and waiting for me.

And she was.

With Jack in her arms.

I smiled, "The cub's gettin' along with the tigress, I assume?"

Isabella's plump, pink lips twitched at the corners faintly, and she nodded – something didn't feel right…

"What's wrong, Tiger?" I asked, striding forwards – I wasn't a man of many emotions, but they were all working double-time at her obvious stress.

She closed her eyes and leant forwards, and I watched her delicately sniff me.

I grinned, "A bit of death and despair make your day, Sweetheart?"

My tiger shook her head, and moved back, "You smell sweet…minty."

I cocked my head to one side and lifted my purple coat up to smell – I could smell rain and metal…

"Nothing minty…"

Isabella nodded, moving forwards, "Mint."

She looked over me almost pleadingly, like she was telling me something in a secret language – the Language of…Mint.

Her crimson gaze pierced me, "I like mint."

"Me, too, Tiger," I murmured, feeling slightly distracted by the way her eyes caught mine.

I stepped forwards, so there was hardly any room between us, and raked my gaze over her – I smirked slightly when I realised she was wearing a pretty little dress that showed off her luscious curves and endless legs…

I circled her slowly, not slowing even when Jack leapt from her arms and settled on her couch – her long mahogany curls shone in the low-lighting of the apartment, and I found my fingers running through them when I stopped in front of her again.

She purred exactly as she did last time.

"I love that sound," I found myself whispering into her ear – although I was surprised I made the admission, I didn't regret it.

I wanted to share myself a little with this woman, this…_vampire_.

I brushed her hair back, feeling mischief bubble within me, and exposed her beautiful swan-like neck – I let my lips brush it, leaving a smudge of red on her skin. Isabella moaned breathily, and I smirked as I gently bit down on her hard skin – I didn't get anywhere, but I knew it gave her some kind of pleasure because she shook slightly and looked at me with black eyes that smouldered.

"Your neck's not as durable as mine, Joker," she murmured huskily, sending a shiver down my spine – there was something about this woman that just…_called_ to me. "So I'm going to have to be extra-careful with you…"

Her hands slipped around my neck and buried themselves in my hair that was still damp from the rain outside – I felt heat build in my stomach when I felt her nails scratch the nape of my neck sensually.

"I know what you are," I whispered, my hands clasping her hips as she froze. I looked into her eyes, "I want you to taste me."

I don't know where the thought came from, but I didn't want to stop it – I wanted to see her taste me, I wanted to see a little more of her crazy side…

Isabella smiled, running a finger around my neck and along my collar bone above my shirt, "I could lose control…"

"That's the idea, Sweetheart," I smirked.


	6. Need

**Joker**

Her lips followed the path her finger had made on my neck and collarbone, and her tongue came out to wet her lips. As her eyes met mine, a sharp sensation dug into the skin of my neck – I felt blood roll from the wound Isabella had inflicted, and I watched her eyes darken to pitch-black.

_That's right – lose yourself_…

I wanted her dark, crazy and wild – she only truly showed me that side when there was blood involved, and I _needed_ to see it.

Isabella slowly bent her face to my neck, a wicked smirk on her perfect lips…

I felt her cool tongue lap at my neck, and a moan tried to work its way out of my throat – I let it.

"Tiger…" I growled.

I could feel her breath coming faster and I heard a growl begin in her chest – my body began to ache in ways it never had before…aching for _her_…

My hands came down on her head, threading my fingers through her hair and holding her face to my neck – her lips attacked my jugular fiercely at my encouragement, and her hands fisted the front of my shirt.

I felt her teeth scrape me and a shiver rolled through my body – my moans got louder, and my eyes closed as sensations rocked my body.

Isabella growled, pushing me down to the floor – a part of me sneered at her thinking she was better than me and wanted me on my knees, yet the rest of me relished my tiger losing herself and using force against me. She surprised me when she came with me – kneeling before me and attacking my neck hungrily.

I could feel my blood being sucked from my veins, and I shut my eyes and smiled as I felt darkness tugging at my mind – I breathed in Isabella's sweet scent and revelled in the way her body fit against mine.

This wasn't madness yet, but we were close…_so close_…

Suddenly, her mouth was gone, and my arms were empty.

Rage filled me – the kind I hadn't felt in such a _long _time – and I opened my eyes with ripping and carnage in mind for whoever took my tiger from me.

My gaze met another pair of crimson eyes – a blonde's. She wasn't as beautiful as my Isabella, and her eyes didn't sparkle in the same way. It was a shame, because that might have redeemed her – as it was, her silent snarling was pissing me off even more.

"What do we have here?" I asked, "A party-crasher? Sorry, but this is a private affair, Doll."

"This is my brother's home," she hissed.

I brushed her off and looked for my tiger – just over the shoulder of the blonde was Isabella, feeding Jack.

As if she felt my gaze, she spoke, "Char won't hurt you – if she does she'll have to deal with me…"

Isabella turned her head at the same time as the blonde – my tiger's eyes were black with vicious anger and full of threats. The blonde nodded and turned back to me.

"If I didn't understand what it would do to Bella if I killed you, I would have by now. I also know I would _let _her tear me apart for it – the pain from a mate dying-"

Isabella cut her off with a growl, and the blonde's mouth shut with a snap and she sat down on the couch without another word.

Isabella practically bounced over to me with Jack in her arms, and the picture made me grin – I stood and scratched him behind the ears. Jack purred and Isabella beamed.

It was all fine, dandy and perfect…until the two assholes showed up.

The front door opened and slammed shut, and then they appeared before us – I didn't know when it happened, but I apparently turned into the protective type. My foot slid forwards, in front of Isabella, and it pulled the rest of my body to cover hers.

I marvelled at my instinctive actions, and then decided the angry-looking boys in front of me deserved a little more attention – their hands were in fists and their mouths were toothy.

I turned to my tiger, "You know, you guys have really good teeth – dental?"

She smiled almost shyly.

No shyness – I pulled her chin up to meet my face, "Show me those pearly-whites, baby."

Her answering smile was wicked and it made me grin to see it – just a little more madness.

Her teeth were perfect – straight, white, shiny… I ran my thumb over them and I felt a purr rumble in her chest – I smirked…

Then the assholes with us growled.

I sighed, "No rest for the wicked." I dropped my hand, cricked my neck, and turned to greet them again, "Where are we starting then, boys – the legs?"

Isabella growled, "They won't hurt you. If they do…"

I knew her eyes would be pitch-black and I smiled as the two guys backed down easily.

"Tiger, you're somethin' else," I murmured.

"Yes, she is," the blonde boy said pointedly, his eyes dark and filled with hate.

Hate I could work with.

"Now, now," I smiled, "You ever think you're a little prejudiced? Just because I can't run or punch as well as you, doesn't make me any less worthy to date your sister."

His eyes narrowed, "Date?"

I turned to Isabella, "We're datin', aren't we, Sugar?" At her pleased expression I turned back, "Uh-huh, we are – look, I even got her a cat." I turned back to Isabella, "Can you believe some guy bet Jack in a game of cards?" I turned back to Blondie, "But I still maintain it's a present, not just an opportunity I took advantage of."

They all seemed confused by my head flipping back and forth, and I smirked as I saw Isabella wasn't one of them – she was beaming.

Her front slowly pressed against my back, and she pressed her cheek to my shoulder – the contact…no matter how odd…just _did _something for me…

"Bella," Shadow growled.

I grinned at him and thrust out my hand, "Nice to see you in the light – you're a lot prettier than I expected."

He didn't take my hand, and my smile dropped – that was just _rude_.

"Your momma never taught you manners?" I asked sharply, and he hissed.

"My momma taught me never to kill an' torture, or be a fuckin' psychopath – I just wonder what _your _momma taught _you_."

My face held no amusement, my scars prickled, and I wondered what would happen if I tried to break his head with mine – I knew it wasn't worth the effort. I was _physically_ out of my depth with these people, but _mentally_? I was still ahead of the curve – they were as stuck as the humans in a continual loop of boringness.

Isabella seemed like the only one I'd met who could grasp the idea of…_me_.

As if she felt what I was feeling, Isabella put Jack on the couch and then took my hand in her right and pressed her left to the small of my back. Almost instinctively, my chin rose higher – facing the other bloodsuckers head on with something akin to…pride.

The two blondes and Shadow backed off slightly – only a step or two, but it was enough for me to understand that they weren't planning on attacking.

"We're going to talk," the little female blonde said.

I smirked, "Group therapy? Thanks, Doll, but I had enough of that in Arkham – never really did any good, as you can see…"

I flashed her my craziest smile and she shuddered.

Shadow growled and Little Blonde joined him quickly, grasping his hand and pushing him down onto the couch so she could sit in his lap.

I cocked my head – I already knew what they were to each other, you could see it in the way their bodies moved around each other's, but they were…different. They were…more?

I turned to look down into Isabella's crimson eyes and saw the little flash of something that I had seen in Little Blonde's and Shadow's.

Big Blonde took his cue and sat down next to the other two.

Isabella tugged me back slightly, so I sat on the opposite couch – the silence was meant to be awkward, but awkwardness was something that would never bother me. I batted it away and focused on my tiger until someone chose to talk.

She really did look good in that dress she was wearing, and I wished that we had had the time to physically acquainted with each other before the three muske-fucking-teers came in. I could imagine my fingers running over her silky thighs…roaming inwards to explore the perfect skin that led upwards towards…

I heard a cracking sound, and my eyes met Big Blonde's black and enraged gaze – his hand had crushed the arm rest.

I smiled, "You need to work on that."

"I wouldn't fuckin' have to if you didn't feel that for my fuckin' _sister_," he growled back.

Isabella hissed beside me, "Watch your mouth, Jasper – he can feel whatever he wants to."

Big Blonde sat back, glaring a hole into my head – I just smiled and slung my arm around Isabella's shoulders, sitting further back into the couch and getting comfy.

Her hair was so soft and silky under my fingertips, and her skin was like satin – I couldn't wait for this twisted group session to be over so I could-

"Goddammit!" Big Blonde yelled, and before I could look up Isabella was gone and Big Blonde lay over the coffee table with her perched on top of him.

Isabella's teeth were at his neck, and her eyes were shining black, "Were you _really _going to attack my mate?"

I puzzled over her words as they fought it out Cold War style…

Big Blonde's jaw clenched and he shook his head – Isabella released him and was beside me in under a second. Big Blonde took his seat back up, and it was as if the whole thing had never happened.

Shadow leant forward, "We can't kill you, but you should know that if we could…we would take _great _pleasure in it."

I smiled, "I'm sure you would…"

The scars I could see on his neck and bared forearms attested to that – they matched the ones I could see on Big Blonde as well.

I grinned, "Hey! Where did you get _your_ scars from? Wanna know where I got mine?"

They didn't answer.

Then suddenly Isabella's cool lips brushed my ear, "I want to know…"

I couldn't contain my low moan of appreciation as her teeth ever so slightly scraped against my earlobe.

"Maybe," I grinned, slightly breathless, "that's a conversation for somewhere private."

The three in front of us huffed and growled, and I couldn't beat back the desire racking my body for Isabella.

"Goddamn…" I breathed, as she ran a hand up my thigh, "Can we finish this later, vamps? I've got things to do with my tiger here."

Little Blonde put her face close to mine and snapped her teeth at me threateningly, "There isn't much to say. If you hurt Bella, we hurt you – that's it."

With that, Isabella was pulling me up and then through a hallway – soon enough, I stood in a pitch-black bedroom with her.

All alone.

I closed my eyes and inhaled, tasting her sweetness on my tongue and knowing she was close to me in the shadows here.

"Come to me, Sugar," I murmured.

A hand suddenly wrapped around my throat – fingers caressed my dancing pulse and cool breath washed over my skin. I smiled as one finger traced the mark that Isabella had surely left there – I could feel the slight tingle of pain as the finger traced a line on my skin.

"How do I taste?" I asked lowly, my voice as black as the darkness surrounding us.

"You taste sweet," Isabella murmured. "Like the finest wine you can imagine. Spice, citrus… Human blood was never something I wanted to feed on, but you learn to enjoy it…"

I smirked, "Tell me about it."

A light in the room suddenly flickered on, very dimly, and I noted just how many books surrounded us – the entire room was made up of them…except for the bed in the centre. The bed we were standing at the end of.

Isabella's hands came to rest on my chest and I looked down into her black eyes, "You hear their heartbeat, pounding in their chest… You can smell their blood running in their veins…" Her fingers slid up to my neck, "You see their pulse jumping as the hairs on the back of their neck stand up…and you know they know you're coming for them…"

I slowly moved her to the bed, urging her down onto it – she went willingly, looking up at me with her wide and wicked smile.

Isabella tugged at my tie as she spoke again, "When you catch them…you know that you need what they have to offer. Your teeth sink into their neck like butter…and the blood rolls from the wound like sweet elixir…"

I lost my coat and jacket as well as my tie, and then I pounced – my body covered hers, my knee parting those delicious thighs.

"You feel the animal taking over," Isabella breathed.

I grinned, "Like now?"

My knee came to the place my body was aching for, and Isabella arched beneath me, "_Yes_…"

My mouth sought out her neck, and the cool, solid, perfect skin was annoyingly unmarkable – I wanted to bite her, to bruise her…to show her who she now belonged to…

Still, my teeth attacked the place her pulse should have beaten, and she writhed beneath me.

My hands were everywhere, lifting the dress she wore so I could touch and tease more of her lovely skin.

"Joker," she gasped beneath me, her hands fisting in my hair.

My gaze met hers and she slowly pulled my face closer…

**

* * *

**

Bella

I wanted to taste those lips, the ruby-red ones that spoke horrific things yet smelled of sweet, fresh mint.

I knew everything was wrong, every single damn thing I was doing…but I couldn't care less.

The words Jasper had whispered to me before we left the lounge rang in my mind, "_It's up to you, Bella, to decide what you want_."

Something inside me wanted this man, and it was such an integral part of me that I didn't dare deny it's wants or it's needs.

The Joker was a _need_.

As soon as I tasted his blood on my lips, felt his skin on mine, I wanted him…_needed _him – I didn't doubt for a second that he was my mate.

I pulled his lips to mine.

Our mouths met perfectly, yet there was a hunger that couldn't be denied. By now, Edward would have whispering to me about how sweetly he would love me, but the Joker said nothing – he allowed the kiss, his hands clamping down on my hips.

He wasn't sweet, he wasn't Edward…and that's why he was mine – he was different, _dangerous_. He brought out a darker part of me that felt deliciously wicked and beautiful.

It didn't matter that he was human – I could hear his heartbeat, smell his blood, yet something overrode it. It was my utter need for him.

My sweet kiss turned dark.

I felt the Joker smile against my mouth as I pressed my lips harder to his – his scalding-hot body moulded to mine and his arms wound around me, and I could feel every inch of my body blaze.

I moaned, wrapping my arms around his neck and tugging him closer – my strength was hard to control, but I managed it. I didn't let my inability to touch him how I wanted to frustrate me though – I just did what I could without killing him.

My nails ran down his back, my hips bucking upwards as his ground down on me – I moaned against his mouth again, and he took the opportunity to launch an attack.

His tongue duelled mine forcefully, pressing for domination of the cavern of my mouth – I let him have it, loving the feeling of giving myself up to him. His hot tongue explored my mouth, claiming the new territory as his own – but I jumped slightly when he brushed my razor-sharp teeth.

I pulled back, and looked into his smouldering black eyes, "Careful."

"Oh, going careful, now – are we?" He smirked, his voice low and rough.

I moaned at the sound of it, "Only if you want to keep your tongue – my teeth are too sharp for you."

"You're telling the guy who loves knives that your teeth are too sharp for him?" Joker asked, his amusement evident as he sucked on my neck again.

His hot mouth on my skin made my desire flame, and arched beneath him as his hands roved over my body.

"They're…_ah_…really sharp – they can cut through concrete, steel…_oh_…goddamn anything," I gasped, pressing myself closer to him and his long and talented fingers.

Those fingers paused…before resuming their wanderings – he brushed my chest and I gasped at the contact.

Joker's lips brushed my ear, "I've underestimated _and_ overestimated you, Sweetheart."

My hips bucked of their own accord and met their prize – I could feel how much he wanted me, his excitement, his lust…

Joker growled, "What do you want, Tiger? Tell me."

"You," I moaned breathlessly. "I want you."

His face loomed above mine – white, beautiful…but unsmiling.

"Now, I know that _you_ know I want you too," he murmured. "But not right now… You're not ready."

I groaned, "What?"

"You have to come to me, Sweetheart – I want you dark, deadly, and crazy, and at the moment…you're not those things. When you don't care about me losing my tongue kissing you, and you want the madness to take you over, come see me," he whispered, and then kissed me again, _hard_.

Joker pulled back and gathered his things before my astonished eyes – he smiled and backed out of the room. I listened to him leave, in complete and utter disbelief.

It was a while later, that I realised he had left me.

I could be what he wanted – I could be dark, deadly, _crazy_… But I had a feeling he wanted more – could I give him _that_? And the hell was '_that_' anyway?

Jasper suddenly appeared in the doorway, "Have you decided what you want?"

I nodded, "Him."

But the question was…what did _he _want?

* * *

It had been three weeks since the Joker came to the apartment, and I still didn't understand what he wanted – he brought out the things he wanted in me, so…what was he looking for?

I sat on the balcony off of Jasper's room and watched the rain pelt down upon the city.

I was aching for him…my mate.

I knew what he was, I knew what I wanted…but I didn't know how to get him back.

He was human so he wouldn't feel the pull I felt…but I thought he felt _something_.

I needed to hunt.

The last blood I had had was the Joker's, and I was getting dangerous.

Jasper, Peter and Char had gone to see the Cullens tonight, and I was _meant _to stay at home and then hunt with them later – but I couldn't wait.

I didn't even bother with a coat, or to use the front door – I dropped from the balcony and into the deserted alley beneath it. My jeans and button-down became instantly soaked, and it was only then that I realised I was barefoot.

I shrugged and flitted along the alleys, toward the darker part of Gotham – I could smell fresh blood in the air, and I let it lead me.

I missed him, the Joker – I felt empty knowing he wanted me…but then he didn't. It hurt – it _ached_ to think that I wasn't right for the man who was mine.

I wondered if it would be better to ignore what we had, to pretend he didn't exist and eventually move away from Gotham…but I knew I would come back. I would always feel him, _need_ him.

Venom pricked my eyes at the thought that he didn't need me.

The only thing that got me by was feeding and playing with Jack, but the memories of the day he was given to me hurt...and though I still looked after him, I avoided spending too much time with him.

A cat! I couldn't even look at a goddamn cat without wincing!

As my bloodlust took over, I got angry.

I found the cooling body of a man bleeding out in an alley…but I passed him by.

He wasn't who I wanted.

I took in the air, determined to find him and make him see that he _needed_ me.

**

* * *

**

Joker

I sat in my office, spinning in my chair with no glee.

Everything was grey and dull – even blood was beige to me.

The light scar on my neck became something I used to keep myself from going back to her – she had to come to me with fire in her eyes and blood on her lips, telling me she was mine. Until then…she wasn't anywhere near the woman that would match me.

Three weeks I waited.

Three weeks I spent wondering if she would come to me as crazy as the woman she could be.

Because Isabella was sweet – it was the demon inside her that was crazy.

I saw it in that kiss.

An involuntary smile came to my lips as I thought about that kiss, the way she gave her mouth and body up to me…but not her mind.

I frowned.

Isabella was clinging to something, and I wanted her to swirl in the waters with me – she had to let go and show me.

A scream cut through my thoughts, and I glanced up to see out of the open door of my office.

The lights had been cut.

I smirked slightly, inhaling – blood and rain.

She was here.

I sat back in the light of my office, and watched my boys scramble in the darkness outside – did they have any idea what was in the shadows?

More screams – closer now.

_Snap, snap, snap…_

Necks breaking, limbs being torn off, skulls cracking…

It went quiet again, and then my lights flickered off.

"Come to me, Sugar," I murmured, closing my eyes – just like the first time…

When I opened my eyes, she was there.

Moonlight filtered through my window, the storm easing off outside – she stood in the silver light, wet and covered in blood. Isabella's eyes were pure fire, and I could feel black rage rolling off of her. She bared her shiny, white teeth at me, and I saw they were stained with blood.

She stepped forwards, her bare feet not making a sound, "_Three weeks_…"

I smiled at her, and she suddenly appeared on my desk – her face came forwards and her teeth shone in the darkness like silver. She pulled my chair forwards so I was stuck between her and the back of the chair.

_Just a little more… Show me what you want… Show me you've lost that control completely…_

Her teeth slid down my neck, "I didn't hunt for three weeks… I didn't breathe for three weeks… I wasn't there for _three weeks_… How _dare _you?"

Her voice sent shivers through me, and I knew we were so close – this was finally it. Isabella would snap – she would be completely…like _me_.

"You're mine," she growled. "And I am yours."

Isabella pulled my head back by my hair and pulled my face to hers – her lips crashed down onto mine and her tongue pulled mine into her mouth.

She let me roam freely – her teeth cut my tongue and I felt blood run into her mouth. But she didn't stop…

I smiled – she was all mine.

Not a part of her was controlled, not a part of her felt guilt for the men she killed, not a part of her cared if I was slightly damaged…and that meant she was ready for me.

I growled and grinned, ripping my mouth from hers, "The madness begins here…"

_**

* * *

**_

Author's note:

_Phew! I apologise for the delay – Uni and whatnot! Thank you for all your support, and especially your reviews (; I thrive off them! :D Quick pimp, lovely people! Please, please, please check out 'On the Brink of Control' by ToryTigress92 if you're interested in a really good Scarecrow/Rachel Batman pairing, AND look out for a fic she's cooking up, Scarecrow/Bella pairing crossover called 'At the Edge of Sanity'! It's gonna be good! (:_


	7. Giggle

_**Author's note: **__Oh, ToryTigress92…I hope you're not wearing socks…because they're about to be knocked off! (; Making me buy all that damn ice…and I looked like a total fool hyperventilating out of my window! It's on like Donkey Kong, sister!_

**

* * *

**

Bella

I sat in the Joker's lap, with him running his fingers through my wet hair, and couldn't help but feel completely content.

A purr rolled out of my chest as his dexterous fingers worked through my curls.

"You think I can make that noise, Isabella?" He suddenly asked, and I smiled and turned on his lap.

I purred again and waited for him to try with me – the noise that came out of his throat had me in fits after one moment. Through my chuckles I could hear the Joker huffing, but the sound was too funny.

When I calmed down, I grinned, "It took me ages to realise mine was only for you."

The Joker's smile dropped, and I wondered what I had said…

His fingers suddenly grasped my chin and I let him pull my face to his – our lips were a hair's breadth away from each other's and his brown-green eyes had blackened drastically.

"_You are mine_," he stated, his voice deep and dark.

I pressed my body closer to his, my thighs either side of his and our chests sealed together – I smiled as his eyes smouldered and his heartbeat quickened. His fingers released my chin and trailed down my neck, caressing places that had gone unloved for far too long.

His mouth followed his fingers, and he pressed hot kisses to my neck – I moaned as his tongue lapped at my ucipital mapilary. It had always been one of those places that just…set me on fire.

Joker chuckled huskily against my neck, "You like that?"

He nibbled at the dip and my body flamed – then his bite became harder, rougher. I moaned, holding his face to my neck and arching my back – I was careful not to crush him, but anything else was fair game.

He sucked on the spot, causing an ache to grow inside me – I ground myself against him, desperately looking for the friction that I only wanted from him.

Joker moaned as my nails ran over the back of his neck, beneath his collar – I did it again, to find the place that _he _obviously liked. When I scored the very top of his spine, he shivered against me.

I smirked, "You like that?"

He growled and pushed me back onto his desk – as he loomed over me, I swore his eyes flashed bright green.

One of his hands came up to pin mine above my head on the wooden desk top – he pressed his body to mine, making his scent and heat wash over me.

I moaned and writhed as his other hand ran down my body, his fingers dancing across my skin like flickers of fire creating sparks in my belly.

Joker's mouth came down on my neck again, and I felt everything inside me whirl pleasantly as he scraped his teeth across my skin.

He kissed his way towards my ear, flicking the lobe with his tongue as he growled, "Oh, yeah. I like it, Sweetheart."

His free hand pushed my thighs apart and toyed with the zip of my still-wet jeans – I panted against his cheek, wanting him to go where I thought he was.

_Ever _so slowly, the zip came down.

The Joker's heart pounded against my chest, and I felt like I was human again.

Without a word, he ripped away the soaked denim with a strength that he had displayed many times yet his appearance didn't show – I could feel his muscles beneath his clothes when he pressed his body to mine, and I longed to see his skin bared in the dim moonlight.

My legs had a mind of their own, and they ensnared the Joker between them and the edge of the desk.

I could feel his length pressed against me, only two layers of clothing between us – I could feel his heat and I _needed_ it.

I pleaded him with my eyes to hurry up, to give me what I so desperately needed.

**

* * *

**

Joker

I watched her beg without words, her black eyes wide and pleading.

I smirked and ripped away her ruined shirt.

Beneath her unflattering clothes there was a body that screamed pure lust and desire – her curves were sinful and underwear highlighted that. The silver lace and silk was wet and clung to her skin enticingly…and they were both completely see-through from the rain.

With a growl, my lips attacked Isabella's sternum – I could taste the rain on her skin, along with her strawberry scent, and it sent shivers rolling through my body.

My clothes were stifling, choking the air from my lungs as my body heated up to the nth degree in reaction to my tiger's – I didn't release her hands as I ripped at the buttons of my shirt.

The material fluttered to the floor and my chest was bared to her in the weak moonlight – it was scarred and my skin was a far cry from the silky perfection beneath me.

But Isabella's eyes raked over me like I was the most perfect man on Earth.

The buttons of my pants popped open one-by-one under my fingers, and I was throbbing for my release against the flimsy material.

When they dropped, Isabella smiled the wickedest smile I had ever seen on the face of a beautiful woman.

Her legs pulled me closer and we slid together like magnets.

I let her hands go, eager for her cool touch on my overheated skin – she didn't disappoint.

Her fingers teased every scar, every imperfection on my skin – I wished I could do the same, but she had none.

As if she read my thoughts, Isabella smiled, "I have more scars than your human eyes can see."

Before I knew it, she was naked in front of me and her underwear lay discarded on the floor.

_Oh_, and she was perfect – a wet, brunette Goddess sitting on the battered wooden desk before me. Her breasts were tip-tilted and topped off with perfect, pink peaks – my mouth practically watered at the sight of them. Her skin shimmered in the moonlight, and my hands automatically reached forwards to claim every inch of her.

My tiger's hands covered mine and she pulled them to her body as her legs tightened their hold around my waist. She dragged my fingertips across her skin, and then I felt the scars she spoke of. There was one on her neck, on her collarbone, so faint that I was sure it almost wasn't there. There was one on her ribs, and one on the inside of her thigh, and one just beneath her jaw…

She suddenly let go of my hands and put hers beneath them.

"Mark me," she whispered.

I grinned, taking her index finger and dragging it up the inside of her thigh – her nail scored her skin as I pressed and a fine silver line appeared beneath our touch.

I bent, licking the path we had taken – it was sweet, the liquid that collected along the line, and it seemed like it was her blood. I smiled against her inner thigh as she moaned and bucked her hips to bring her heat closer to my face.

I took her hand over her body, scoring her chest and neck before I was satisfied with my work.

My tongue soothed the lines as soon as they were made, and Isabella's sweet taste invaded my mouth, numbing it slightly.

In contrast to my previously-slow movements, my hand quickly slid up the inside of her thigh and I plunged two fingers into her ready and heated core.

She screamed out, clutching at my shoulders almost painfully, "_Joker_!"

"Scream for me," I growled into her thigh as my mouth moved closer to her apex – she did just that, again and again.

Soon I was tasting the sweetness she had to offer – _oh_, and did she have something to offer… She was so sweet, like sugar and honey, and her taste ran over my tongue like silk as I lapped at her folds.

Her nails dug into my shoulders as I circled her bundle of nerves, and I felt blood slowly rolling from the wounds on my back – her fingers brushed away at the beads and I watched from my position as she licked her bloody fingers clean.

Then her hands urged me up – I bit my way up her body to her mouth, and then suddenly her hand closed around my length.

I moaned a growl, "_Tiger_…"

My fingers worked faster against her nub and inside her on that secret, little sweet spot as her hand pumped me.

Our gazes locked as her silky, yet unyielding, hand worked me, and I thrust my fingers faster – I stretched her by adding another as we stared, and Isabella reciprocated by thumbing the sensitive underside of my shaft.

Our hips bucked in sync, both watching the other come undone before our very eyes.

Her eyes flashed and her lips parted in pleasure, and I growled and kissed her mercilessly when her grip tightened and her pumping quickened.

Our breath came heavy and fast, as we panted into each other's mouths – my tongue tugged hers as I felt the brink approaching, and I flicked the tip of my tongue against her sharp teeth, cutting it.

"Taste me," I murmured against her lips, as pleasure tugged at the bottom of my spine and stomach.

As my blood rolled over her tongue and down her throat, we fell over the edge.

I exploded, surrounded by Isabella and a dark cloud of pure pleasure and mind-blowing bliss.

I dimly heard Isabella scream out and her thighs tighten around my waist, as she pulsed around my fingers and clamped down on them as if she were dying for my touch.

As the last spasms shook me, I rested my forehead against hers and tilted one fingertip – the fleshy bump I was looking for met my touch, and Isabella screamed for me again as her pleasure resurfaced and doubled as I caressed it roughly.

"Thank…" I breathed, "…my history of human anatomy…"

Her screams were music to my ears, and I revelled in them as I withdrew my fingers and then slowly licked them before her eyes, one-by-one…

Isabella made me pause at the last one – her lips slowly came toward my mouth and her tongue peeked out to lap at my finger. My tongue joined hers, tasting her sweetness and playfully colliding and battling for it.

I bit at her full bottom lip and she moaned breathily, sending her sweet breath over my face.

"So," I grinned lazily, "You like _that_?"

**

* * *

**

Bella

I was practically a puddle.

I lay back on the Joker's desk with a thump and looked at him through my lashes – he had braced himself against the desk with his arms, and I watched his muscles flex with the action of holding him up.

I could see his knees were slightly shaking, almost imperceptibly, and I knew that I affected him as much as he affected me – even if neither of us cared to admit it.

I liked the domination, and he liked it too – I wouldn't tell him he was just as crazy for me as I was for him.

Oh, and we were both _so _crazy – in more ways than one…

I tilted my head back over the edge of the desk and looked out into the darkened room beyond the Joker's office – he wouldn't be able to see the piles of dead and dismembered bodies, but I sure could.

I didn't even feel a twinge.

They were in my way, between me and my mate – there was no one I wouldn't kill to get to him.

His hot, thin fingers suddenly twisted in my hair and pulled my face to his for a wild kiss as he leant over the desk. I bit at his lip, enjoying the moan he gave me in return.

Joker pulled away slightly, and whispered, "Time to have a nap, Sweetheart."

His voice was almost…tender…and I smiled at him softly – animals to lovers in one second flat; we were truly insane.

He lifted me and then kicked open a side-door next to one of the filing cabinets – then came a set of creaky stairs, and then we were in a large underground room where the lights were already on. The walls were pasted with newspaper clippings and pictures of buildings and people – then there were maps and blue-prints.

I wondered if _this_ was where the Joker decided what to destroy next.

"A long time in Arkham gives you a different impression of what home looks like, Tiger," he suddenly offered, setting me down on a bed pushed up against on of the walls.

"Home is where the heart is," I murmured, looking around.

The wall beneath the stairs was covered in knives and blades of all sorts, and then there were boxes of guns and grenades and smoke bombs beneath them.

I smiled when I saw a dart board with a drawing of Batman on – there was a single dart in it, and it was in his mouth. My perfect memory flashed before my eyes, and I remembered that that was where my lips had lingered that night in the small, back-alley square.

I wondered whether I should tell the Joker that I knew who Batman was – _I_ didn't truly care, and I didn't think that he would kill him…but then I didn't truly care about _that_ either. Bruce Wayne was nothing to me, but I chose to keep quiet until asked.

The splashing of water brought me out of my thoughts, and I watched Joker wipe off his war-paint.

I smirked as I lay back on the bed, still completely naked as him, "Shame – I like your make-up."

"Do you want to wake up with it all over you?" He asked, mirroring my grin as he strode back over to me.

"I wouldn't mind…" I trailed off seductively, and then added, "But I don't sleep."

Joker sat down on the bed and pulled me to him, "What do you mean – are we getting into vamp-stuff now, Tiger?"

I nodded against his chest, "I don't sleep…at all…_ever_."

"Well! You're gonna have a fun time watchin' me," he smirked.

As we lay back and he pulled the cover over us, I looked over his face – his skin was quite pale anyway without the make-up, but he looked…so much younger without the peeling mask.

I stroked his cheek tenderly as his eyes fluttered shut, "You're pretty."

"And _you_'re motherfuckin' crazy," he grinned sleepily.

"I know it," I murmured, kissing him softly. "Goodnight."

His arms tightened around me as his heart slowed and his breathing evened, and he slowly drifted off into sleep.

I just held him, wishing I could join him in sleep too.

* * *

Time ticked by slowly, but not slowly enough for my liking.

I watched the Joker's face twist in pain occasionally, and then I kissed him softly until it smoothed out again.

I examined his scars for a time, working out how they could have happened without all his bullshit – I liked his stories, but a part of me wanted to know.

I could tell it was definitely caused by a knife, and that the skin had taken a while to grow back…but apart from that, he was a mystery.

I just smiled and held him tighter.

It was hours later that his arms tightened around me and his heart picked up its beating.

I smiled wickedly as his hand began to drift to the curve of my ass, and I knew he was pretending to still be asleep.

"You know," I murmured softly, nibbling his Adam's apple, "I _can _tell when you're awake and when you're asleep. Vampires know things like that, Jay."

"Jay?" He questioned gruffly, a smirk curling his lips. "How did you know I like that name, Tiger?"

"I like it, too," I chuckled, nudging his chin.

His mouth descended on my neck quickly, shaking his sleepy stupor off almost immediately – his teeth ran over my dead pulse and I shivered against him.

"_Mmm_," he growled against my neck, "You like me using my teeth… You want me to rip you apart like the little lamb you are…don't you, Sweetheart?"

I moaned, threading the fingers of one of my hands through his hair as the other ran down his scarred and muscled chest, "And you're…_ah_…the big, bad wolf?"

Joker chuckled against my collarbone, "Uh-huh. Sugar, I've eaten up plenty of girls like you before…"

It riled me, and before I could check my actions, I had flipped him on his back and straddled his waist, "There are _no_ other girls."

"No," he grinned, "There's one bat-shit crazy woman…" I ground down on him and he growled, "And I am warm for her cold, dead form."

I smirked and rolled with him off of the bed and onto the hard floor – I pinned him there with my entire body, "I'm not cold."

I wasn't – his heat throughout the night had warmed by body nicely.

"And I'm not dead," I murmured, grinding my heat against his hardness to show him just how _alive _I was.

Then an idea struck me.

"And there's something else I want you to know…"

I pulled him from the room at vampire-speed, and his feet barely brushed the floor – we stood in the shadowy doorway at the top of the stairs and I pushed him past me.

Joker stood by his desk, gloriously naked in the warm early-morning sun.

He gave me a curious look, "The sun?"

I smiled and nodded…before stepping forwards.

My skin lit up like a Christmas tree, sparkles erupting on my body and casting thousands of rainbows around the room.

The Joker stood there, staring at my shining, naked body.

**

* * *

**

Joker

The shit was insane.

She…sparkled…like an angel – an angel of death.

She stood with her back facing the open office doorway, where I could see dead bodies strewn about the room outside – blood-painted walls were the background, and Isabella was the foreground as the picture of sparkling innocence.

Lust roared through me at the scene – she was _my_ angel of death.

I crooked my finger for her to come closer, and she was shining right before my eyes in less than half a second.

My fingertips brushed her sparkling cheek as I tried to find the diamonds that were laced into her skin – she was beautiful, deadly, crazed…

She was perfect.

I smiled, "How would you like to help me on a little…business venture?"

Isabella beamed, "Show me the ropes."

**

* * *

**

(Third)

"_The city was woken by the largest explosion it has seen to-date…_"

Caroline Carr's voice carried out over the smoke-filled streets from the bars and open apartment windows where Gotham civilians had gathered to watch the events unfold. Most of them were still wearing their pyjamas and robes, and they jostled each other to see the TV screen as images of red and orange flickered over it.

"_A bomb, planted in Gotham park, went of at exactly 9:13 this morning – there were a number of civilian casualties, but no serious injuries were sustained…_"

A paper appeared on the desk before Caroline Carr and her eyes widened – the city broke out into worried murmurs as they awaited her next words.

"_This is an important safety announcement! Lock all doors and windows! The explosion has released a type of hazardous gas…"_

Then she giggled.

So did some of the bar patrons…

And some of the children in the school nearby…

And the vendor on the corner of the street peering through the window of Joe's café at the TV screen there…

Caroline Carr began laughing uproariously, along with half of Gotham.

But as soon as the laughing began, screams erupted from around the city – people began collapsing, laughing as their hearts gave out and smiles twisting their faces as they shuddered from the seizures wracking their bodies.

Caroline Carr collapsed on her desk just before a new picture flashed on the screen – the signal had been hacked, and now a new show was playing.

A girl's face appeared on the screen, grinning wildly beneath the dark make-up she wore over her eyes and mouth.

The Joker appeared beside her, and they both looked at each other before singing, "_Good morning, Gotham_!"

It was officially the Clown Prince of Crime's time to reign.

_**

* * *

**_

Author's note:

_Thank you for all the reviews on the last chapter! They were brilliant, and you have to thank ToryTigress92 for the quicker update – her story's totally inspired me and got my butt in gear with this fic (;_


	8. Mine

**Joker**

As soon as we had said 'good morning' and I flicked the camera off, Isabella was in front of me grinning wildly, "That was fun!"

I smirked at her freshly painted face – she had sprayed a black strip across her eyes and smeared red across her lips. She reminded me of the female replicant in 'Blade Runner,' and I told her so.

She scrunched up her nose adorably, "I hate that film."

"I like the anarchy," I grinned.

The rest of my boys, who hadn't been around when Isabella attacked, had planted the bomb of my special laughing gas in Gotham Park – it was even more devious than it first appeared, as it would only affect about half of the population in Gotham…those of a certain blood type.

I didn't know what blood type it was though – that made it all the more fun.

Isabella began picking at the purple suit I was wearing, bringing me out of my thoughts, "I need some clothes like yours."

"Women and clothes," I muttered, shaking my head playfully.

Isabella grinned, "If you help me make some, I'll let you peel them off of me."

A slow smile spread across my face – what sane man could refuse?

* * *

Twenty minutes later we sat in my office, piles of fabric all around us as we dropped them to the floor after holding them up to Isabella's body.

My boys outside were acting as the clean-up crew for their shredded comrades and most of them were still throwing up out-back from it. Gio seemed like the only one who had a strong enough stomach – I was definitely keeping him for a little longer.

An excited noise from my tiger pulled me out of my thoughts, and I turned to see that she'd picked out a deep purple fabric – it was the exact same one I used to make my suit, and it made me smile seeing the fabric against her pale skin.

In under a moment, she had stripped out of her old clothes and was pinning the fabric around her perfectly naked body.

I slunk forwards, "_Mmm_… I don't think I can keep my hands off you."

My tiger pinned herself a skirt as she turned to me – her chest was bared and I couldn't help but let my fingers run down her sternum and then turn to swipe at the undersides of her breasts. Her nipples pebbled instantly and I smirked as I began to kiss her neck – her fingers stopped their work and her eyes fluttered shut.

"That's right," I murmured, my tongue tracing the edge of the notch between her collarbones. "You're my little lamb when I do this, aren't you? The tigress goes into hiding when the wolf comes out to play…"

She moaned and arched under my touch – until my office door was rudely opened.

"Boss-"

Rossi, an informant I liked to use, came barrelling into the office – his sweaty, obese body practically took up all the available space, and I could smell his dog breath from where I was standing.

He tugged at his grease-stained cap, grinning at something behind me – when I turned slightly I saw Isabella hastily pinning up a bodice for the dress, to cover her bare chest.

"Sorry, to…uh, interrupt, Boss," Rossi smirked, his eyes still not on me. "Who's this pretty thing – can I have a-"

Rage blinded me and I slammed him against the filing cabinet to my left before he could finish his sentence – I knew what he was going to say, and everything inside me just _quivered_ in pure fury.

I pressed a knife to his throat a moment later, and snarled, "You wanna find out what it's like to breathe through your neck, Rossi?"

His small, blue eyes flicked from me to my tiger in panic, "No! NO! I, uh…I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"Apologise to the lady," I growled, and then added, with a small and crazed smile, "_My _lady."

"Oh, shit…" He gasped.

I nodded, "I know. Now, where's that apology?"

Rossi's little eyes flicked to my Isabella and he mumbled, "I'm sorry, lady."

Isabella didn't make a sound, or a move, and I knew she was letting me deal with the situation.

"Thank you, Sugar," I murmured – this piece of shit was going to learn a lesson, _my_ way.

My gloved hand grasped his neck tightly and I walked him out of my office into the still blood-stained outer-room.

"Who do you think redecorated this place?" I asked quietly, clicking my tongue as I cocked my head in anticipation of his obvious answer.

"Y-You…B-Boss?" He stammered, and I shook my head at him, my green-tinted hair falling in my eye.

Isabella's fingers suddenly brushed the strands away and I smirked, "No." I looked at her out of the corner of my eye, "My lovely lady here did."

Rossi's pulse jumped beneath my fingertips, and I knew it was because Isabella's face was purely blank – it scared the shit out of him that someone so beautiful, yet ordinary, could have left a dismembered arm hanging from the light above our heads…or the leg tucked underneath the poker table in the corner…or the brain matter still slowly rolling down the wall…

"Gio!" I called, "You've missed some pieces!"

Immediately Gio came scampering back in with a clean bucket of water and some supplies, "Sorry, Boss… I, uh…well, I needed some better stuff – like…almost acidic."

I turned and smirked at Rossi, "She caused so much carnage my boy here needs to use _acid_ to clean some of it away."

Rossi didn't say anything, but his eyes were dilated in pure fear and he was sweating up a storm.

I smiled, "You checked that woman out." I clicked my tongue again, my fingers twitching in anticipation of cutting his throat, "And you didn't treat her with very much respect, did you?"

Rossi gulped and shook his head, "I'm-"

I growled and pressed the blade to the side of his wide, open mouth, "Do you know how I got these scars?"

He stiffened. He knew what was coming next - _everyone_ did.

"I got them fighting for my lady's honour," I smirked, thinking that the day my tiger could never handle herself would be the day that Hell froze over. "So, the guy sliced my face open after I jumped him for makin' a pass at my woman… Now. If I was willing to endure back-street facial reconstruction, what else do you think I'm willing to do?"

Isabella floated around us, circling like the angel of death she was, "I killed all those men to get to him."

"We're a very loving couple," I smiled at Rossi, making quick work of his face – two slices later, he was screaming on the floor for his momma.

I kicked him in the side, forcing him onto his back – I pressed my foot to his neck, slightly cutting off his air-supply.

"She is my lady," I reiterated, bending down so my face was an inch from Rossi's. "You tell everyone that, you let them know why you got those new scars…and if you don't…I'll finish the job." I lifted my foot, and he gasped for air, "Now, get out of my sight."

He ran as fast his obese body would allow him to.

Gio gulped and looked back down at the bloodstain he was scrubbing – I smiled and swept Isabella back into my office.

Once we were inside, my smile dropped and I turned to my tiger with a growl, "_Isabella_…"

Her crimson eyes flashed at my dark tone and I growled again as they darkened to near-black.

I grasped her hips and pulled her to me roughly, "You're mine."

"I know," she gasped, her sweet breath mingling with mine.

I swiped the pad of my gloved thumb over her red-smudged lips before taking them viciously with my ruby mouth – I growled as our teeth clashed and our tongues battled. I pressed her hard against the desk, the only thought running through my mind being making her mine again – someone else had wanted her, and it wouldn't do.

_It won't do_…_ever… She's mine… All mine… No one else's… My little lamb, my tiger, my dark angel…_

The pins that held up her dress scattered over the office floor as I ripped at the velvet material, growling out my need as I pawed.

"Jo-Joker," my lamb gasped, submitting to me instantly.

I dragged my gaze over her body hungrily, drinking in every inch of her silky skin, "I'll tear you apart, inch-by-inch… You want it, don't you?"

Isabella moaned, "_Yes_… _Please_…"

As her naked form writhed beneath me and my mouth lowered to taste her sweet, pink peaks…a growl sounded and the room almost shook around us from the force of it.

**

* * *

**

Bella

My eyes snapped open.

I knew that growl… It was the one I had often longed to listen to…and it came from Edward.

I looked over the Joker's shoulder with nothing less than a full-blown grin. My husband and my lover meeting – how very awkward…or not. I found it…amusing. Edward thought me a monster…

_Well, look at me now, Edward! I'm mated to one!_

The Joker turned slowly to see who had interrupted us, and I was already dressed by the time his beautiful, dark eyes met Edward's golden ones – my dress was re-pinned, but it showed off plenty of my skin…and the marks that the Joker and I had created the night before.

The lines were fading rapidly, but vampires would still be able to see them – I wantedhim to see them.

"Bella," Edward growled, his voice pained and furious at the same time.

I tipped my head to the side slightly, smiling at him broadly, "Edward."

Joker didn't step back, but I could see his hand beginning to reach for me – I ghosted forwards, and laid my hand on his shoulder as I moulded my body to the side of his.

Edward practically shook with rage at the show of solidarity.

"What the _hell_, Bella?" He roared, his eyes flashing black.

"I believe we've met before," Joker grinned, sending me a quick wink.

Edward stilled, "Officer _Jay_?"

I snickered behind my hand as Joker nodded with a beaming smile, "That's right." Joker turned his head to me, "I went to your big, pretty house, Tiger – it's amazing where a pair of sunglasses and a stolen cop's uniform can get you."

I smiled at him slyly, "I hope you've still got the uniform…"

Joker growled, "Oh, yeah…"

Edward hissed and I snapped my head towards him, glaring furiously, "Why are you here?"

He took a measured step forwards, "I came to find _my wife_."

"She's not here," I said, looking straight into his eyes.

Edward froze, "What?"

"I'm not _your_ anything – I've already called Jenks to draw up our divorce papers."

I hadn't – _yet_ – but he didn't know that. Marriage was sacred to Edward, and I knew 'divorce' was one word of many that cut him deeply.

His face looked heartbroken, and it made me _furious _– I stepped forwards, my fists clenched and my eyes burning.

"You want to be heartbroken, Edward? Fucking go right ahead, because I was heartbroken when my _husband _called me a monster and only his brother stood up for me." I hissed, "None of the fucking family even batted an eyelash – 'oh, look, Bella's different now…we don't love you anymore'."

Edward stepped towards me, "We _love_ you, Bella… _I _love you! We just had to get used to the idea of our beautiful Bella feeding on humans for the rest of her existence."

"It took you a fucking long time!" I screeched.

"Don't use that language, Bella – it doesn't suit you."

I literally roared at him, "It suits the _new _me, Edward – the _monster _that my family doesn't care for!"

Before I could rip Edward's face off, a hot bare hand was pressed to my neck.

"Sshhh, Tiger…" Joker crooned, running his thumb along the back of my neck, "You're not a monster…"

I let myself drift backwards into his arms – the arms that could kill or comfort…but would only ever comfort me.

"You're _my_ monster," the Joker grinned against my neck, and I let a chuckle slip past my lips.

"Thank you, Jay," I murmured.

"Welcome."

Suddenly, I was being ripped from my mate's arms by mildly warm and insistent hands.

I snarled and twisted in Edward's hold, until his grip loosened and I turned the tables – my arms locked around his arms and throat.

I leaned down and hissed against his ear, "_We are nothing anymore._"

"Where's my Bella?" He breathed pathetically.

"She died the moment you and the rest of your family gave Emmett permission to force-feed me."

Joker growled, "They_ what_, Isabella?"

"Emmett opened my throat and poured blood into me until I vomited – _literally_," I hissed into Edward's ear.

My husband flinched, "We did it for your own good – you were wasting away!"

Joker stepped forward, hate burning in his gaze as he stared down at Edward, "That's just disrespectful to my lady, here."

Edward growled, "She's not _your_ lady."

"I beg to differ," Joker said quietly, and I knew he was losing his patience.

I flicked my hair away from my neck and carefully showed it to Edward – I was reluctant to bare my neck to the man who was currently my enemy; my instincts were screaming at me not to. But apparently he hadn't noticed the marks on my skin.

Edward paled, if it were possible, "You…"

"He marked me, Edward," I confirmed.

His once beautiful golden eyes were pure, menacing black, "He marked your perfect skin like an animal!"

I shook my head, pitying the boy who would never grow up, "He marked me like a _mate_, Edward."

It was true, I was also stuck in my teens forever, but I had always been middle-aged and with the Joker's help…my mind was free – Edward would always be stuck; he was too rigid, too immovable. His mind would never develop.

Then, I was suddenly confused as a thought struck me, "Can't you read Jay's thoughts?"

Edward shook his head, rather reluctantly, "No… Well, yes… But they're a jumble."

Joker grinned, tapping his left temple, "Ahead of the curve."

I smiled at him, and he smiled back – then our golden moment was broken.

"How can you be mated to a monster? You're _my _mate, Bella! Mine! He…he caused that explosion this morning!" Edward cried out pleadingly.

I just shook my head, "_We_ caused the explosion this morning…and before that _I _killed twenty men… You can't make me feel disgust for him, _or_ guilt – I'm _free_ now, Edward."

I kissed his cheek lightly – earning a glare from my mate – and whispered, "Now, go. Or will I be forced to harm you?"

Edward bowed his head, coming undone before my eyes – his body shook with sobs, but I felt no guilt. He had turned his back on me for weeks, along with my so-called 'family' – the only ones there for me were Peter, Char and Jasper, and I would be paying them a visit eventually.

"You've killed so many people," Edward whispered. "Half of the city! The Volturi will step in, Bella!"

I shook my head at him, "No. They won't. This is human business – I have not broken any rules, or shown myself."

"What about _him_?" Edward snarled, gesturing to the scarily-silent Joker. "He knows what we are – he will be killed for it, or _you_ will be. Maybe even both of you!"

I went to the Joker and took his hand, looking into his eyes, "I'll turn him if he asks for it."

"NO!" Edward roared, leaping for my mate.

A growl erupted from me, the like of which I had never heard – it shook the entire building. I leapt at Edward, catching him in mid-air and disrupting his path – we span wildly across the room, and I barely managed to pull back before we went careening through the wall.

I clamped my hands down on Edward's head, wrapping my legs around his body so he couldn't use his arms, and pressed my teeth to his neck – he was vulnerable now, wide open to an attack, and I internally thanked Jasper's interest in my fighting education.

"Edward," I hissed, "Will I have to decapitate you?"

Edward's body went entirely limp in my grasp, "No."

His voice held true, pure defeat, and I couldn't help but smile, "Are you going to really leave this time?"

He nodded.

I whispered against his ear, just for him, "Tell them I'm happy and not to come, because if they do…I will not spare anyone." I smiled, "Oh, and sign the papers I'll send."

Edward was gone as soon as I released my hold – I turned to see him disappear out of the office door, and then Gio appear a moment later. He had luckily missed the whole exchange – I smiled at him, and he timidly smiled back.

Nice boy.

I turned back to my mate, and saw he was standing, frozen, by his desk.

"Jay?" I murmured, going and brushing his cheek.

He flinched slightly, almost imperceptibly, but it was enough to make me drop my hand and take a step back with my eyes fixed on the floor.

"What's wrong?" I asked softly.

Suddenly, Joker's elegant fingers grasped my chin and urged me to look up at him – when my gaze met his, he kissed me…_hard_.

I moaned, my lust rising instantly – vampires were insatiable, and I was lucky that I hadn't spontaneously combusted already.

Then he ripped his lips from mine and grinned, "Nothing's wrong, Tiger. I was thinking about what you said."

I smiled and cocked an eyebrow.

Joker accepted my silent question and smirked, "About you turning me into a vampire, like you."

My breath caught in my throat, and I stared up at him – did he want it, didn't he want it, what would I do in either eventuali-

"Stop thinking," he suddenly commanded, nibbling at my jaw. "You think too much, Sweetheart. Just…go with me. We'll chase some cars and see which one will eventually hit us."

I smiled softly at him, "You could definitely pull off the pale look."

His hands caressed my bare arms, "I'm not too sure about the blood, though – I've never really been into liquid cannibalism."

I laughed, "Neither was I. In _fact_, I used to faint at the very sight of blood...and the smell…"

I trailed off and crinkled my nose at the nauseous, yet distinct, memories of my human phobia.

Joker smiled, flicking a curl out of my face and dropping a kiss onto my forehead, "Go get Jack, and when you get back…I'll have a mission of our own to go on."

I smiled, "Will we get to go on air again?"

Joker nodded, chuckling under his breath, "Oh, we'll certainly be going on air, Tiger… You'll see."

I nodded and kissed his lips – Joker's warm tongue briefly flicked against my bottom lip, before he pulled away and smirked at me.

"Get going, now, or you won't be able to make it anywhere at all," his eyes scanned my dress, "And if someone else comes onto you, you just send them along to me – alright, Isabella?"

I nodded again, and he bent and kissed my ucipital mapilary.

"Good," he murmured against my skin.

* * *

My purple dress swished behind me as I made my way to Jasper's balcony, slightly damp from the storm brewing, and every eye was on me – I had taken off my make-up and quickly made myself a hood for my dress, so I was reasonably normal looking. I was still barefoot, but that couldn't be helped – I was planning on grabbing some shoes from my room along with a few other things.

I slipped into the back alley, checked there were no onlookers, and then jumped up to Jasper's balcony – the doors were still open, and I wondered if they had been back at _all_. Did they even know I had left?

I wasn't sure, but I could hear Jack mewling.

I ran to him, to find him curled up on the cushion he liked and meowing in his sleep – I smiled at him tenderly, before scooping him and the cushion up and putting him in the box I received him in.

Next stop was my room.

I grabbed a duffel bag and stuffed it full of shoes, underwear, bathroom stuff, photos – anything that I didn't want to leave behind.

I took a quick look at all the books in my room – they were all Jasper's of course, but the sight of them made me smile. I floated through the apartment, just memorizing how I would leave it, and taking in the scents of the people who hadn't let me down.

I knew they wouldn't like what I had with the Joker, or what I did to get him and keep him, but they knew we were mated and they loved me – I was sure that they wouldn't be opposed to me visiting them some time.

With the duffel bag slung over my shoulder and Jack's box in my arms, I stepped back onto Jasper's balcony and then dropped off the edge of it. Jack woke up as my feet landed soundlessly on the ground, and his black eyes peered up at me in joy – he meowed loudly, pawing at the edge of the box to get to me.

I gave him a quick scratch behind the ears before heading off, back to my mate.

I was surprised that Jasper hadn't come hunting for me yet – I wasn't sure if he knew I had found the Joker and helped plan the bombing in the park or not, or if he knew I was the girl on the TV… But I _did_ know that there were two options – leave us be, or intervene.

If Jasper didn't know everything already, then Edward would surely tell him.

I just wanted to be left in peace with my mate.

I ducked down back-alleys and wound my way through the darkest part of Gotham – water splashed beneath my bare feet and wind whistled through the alleys, but I still heard what everyone was saying in the clubs, dives, and hide-outs.

They were all talking about the Joker's new psycho squeeze.

I smiled as I heard drunks babble about the carnage I created in the Joker's den – Rossi sure got the news around fast.

I came up to the dark, grimy building and knocked on the door three times – a large guy opened the peeling door and looked me over.

"What's a sweet thing like-" He began, but I cut him off by flicking my hood back and smirking at him.

His heart hammered against his chest and he began sweating profusely.

"Good evening," I said musically.

"Uh…" He stammered, "H-Hey."

He stepped back, his hands trembling – I looked up at him through my lashes as I passed by and chuckled softly at the fear I instilled.

Jack mewled and I absently scratched him behind the ears as I walked through the smoke-filled corridor and into the main room outside of the Joker's office – tables and chairs were set up again, and all the henchmen were smoking and drinking away.

But everything stilled as I walked in.

I just smiled and walked past all of them – some of them greeted me with a 'ma'am' and some of them tipped their heads in respect.

It felt good.

The office door opened and the Joker appeared in the doorframe just as the noise went back up.

He smiled at me, and then at Jack who peeking his head over the top of the box, "Brought me a furry little snack, have ya?"

I snapped my teeth at Joker playfully, "I could make _you_ the snack."

His smile turned into a smirk and he gestured me into his office – once the door was closed, Jack and my bag were on the desk and the Joker was at my throat.

His bare fingers caressed my back as he ate at my neck, and then I felt his hot fingers pulling at the pins in my dress.

I grinned and pulled away, "Let me sew this together before you rip it off."

"You better be fast, little lamb," he growled roughly.

I laughed and ran downstairs at vampire speed – my speed was supersonic, stitching together the fabric with the Joker's kit and recalling how Esme taught me to do it quickly.

By the time the Joker had grabbed my stuff and brought it down, my dress was finished and laying on the desk on the other side of the room…while I was laying on the bed, naked.

"I thought you said I could rip it off," Joker smirked, petting Jack before striding over to me.

I sighed and lay back on the pillows, "I'm just helping you out."

His eyes scanned my naked body hungrily and he murmured, "My little lamb…"

I smiled, "Where's the ripping and tearing?"

I knew the Cullens would come for us, or alert the Volturi – they would never let innocents die, and they _would _die with the Joker and I free to do as we liked – but right now, there was only we two mates and the carnage and insanity could wait for a couple of hours.

The Joker crawled over me, sliding his hand up the outside of my thigh, "Oh, I have it right here, Sweetheart…"

When he kissed me, it wasn't the hard and dark kiss I had been expecting – it was softer and tenderer than I thought he could ever be.

But his smile told me it was just the prelude – his hand grasped my thigh harder, "Time to become mine _completely_, Isabella."

I nodded as his mouth came down on mine – I wanted nothing more.

_**

* * *

**_

Author's note:

_Oo! Eddie came for a visit – I planned it for ages, and then I had a breakdown and I wasn't sure whether I should include it as I had planned or not. Then I thought, 'Screw it! I need it in there' (: So the next chapter will be the one that leads up to the main events in this fic, and it will lead on from exactly where I just left off (; Thank you for all the lovely, lovely reviews – they make my day (:_


	9. Broken

_**Author's note: **__I just want to say a HUGE 'thank you' to GemmaLisax for rec'ing this fic on the Darkest Temptations blog (; (*COUGH* Check it out *COUGH*) You so rule! And I'd just like to say…I'm so a Dracula/Spike girl (; Go twisty, dark…things! :D_

**

* * *

**

Joker

I sat back on my heels and I stared at the vision before me – Isabella, mine for the taking.

I was hungry for her – _starving_, actually. Sleeping next to her, spending time with her, cracking jokes and heads with her only exacerbated the problem – the problem being that I could never have enough of her.

As I kissed my way up her bare, flat stomach, I considered the state of panic Gotham was in – bodies were still being pulled off the streets and out of houses, and Isabella's vampire family didn't seem like the type to let our carnage continue.

Then there was that other group of vampires that she kept mentioning – the Volt-something.

They might come for us.

I wasn't questioning our course – chasing cars and making mischief was our _business_ now – but I was considering how to save Isabella.

I'd never wanted to hit myself so badly in all my years.

I was worrying about someone else for the first time – something inside me _demanded _it. Past all the craziness and the maliciousness, there was a part of me that _cared_ – it was beyond protecting my property, my _woman_…

It was protecting my…_mate_? That was the word that Little Blonde had used – _mate_…

I shook my head, feeling myself fall back into my usual smirking self – nothing good could come of caring for someone else.

My mouth became harsher, my teeth scraping along the underside of one of Isabella's luscious breasts – she moaned and arched beneath me, her hands grasping and urging.

I grinned against her sternum, smudging red across her skin, "Tell me what you want."

She answered without taking a breath, "I want to feel you inside me – _please_… Make me yours, Jay…"

I tore my clothes from my body, my muscles bunching in anticipation of finally being within my lamb…

I twitched against her thigh as I kissed my way across her heaving chest – my hips nestled against hers and she gasped…

It wasn't long before I thrust myself inside her.

She was so tight around me, but so silky soft – I growled above her, feeling like a predator rearing over its prey…

Except my prey could be a tiger.

Isabella rolled me over so fast…I didn't see it – one moment I was on top, the next moment she was.

Her hips circled, grinding down on me – I hissed and bucked, smirking up at her as her head fell back in pleasure.

_Oh, I am good_…

Her hands trailed up my stomach and my chest, until they came to rest on my shoulders – her nails dug in as she moved faster over me, mixing pleasure with pain.

I growled as she changed the angle, making me hit a spot so _deep _within her…that it was just crazy – it was lucky I liked crazy.

My quick hands ran over her luscious body, claiming and teasing roughly – then I pulled her down to me so our noses were touching.

I gave her my craziest smile, before slipping my hands around her back to hold her closer to me and thrusting my hips up off the bed as hard as I could.

She screamed – the sound pierced the air and made me shiver in pleasure.

Her fingers dug into my skin, marking me with bruises, but I kept up my relentless pace – I felt my hips bruising as they slammed and ground against hers.

I flipped her over, thrusting into her mercilessly as I bit at the dip in her neck that I knew she just _loved_ me to pay attention to – her nails raked the back of my neck in response, and I throbbed and twitched inside of her as a shiver rolled down my spine.

Isabella threw her head back over the side of the bed, crying out – the angle made me go even deeper, and I felt her spasm around me.

I couldn't hold on.

With a roar and black spots flashing over my eyes, I filled her…marked her…claimed her…

_My woman_…

She wasn't like the bits I used to have keep me company, and she certainly wasn't a Harley Quinn – she was just…_mine_.

My heart pounded in my hollow-feeling chest as I collapsed onto her limp and satiated body – she hummed beneath me like a cat, running her fingers through my hair and down my spine.

I breathed in her beautiful, sweet scent and lapped at her neck affectionately as our bodies calmed down – we melted together.

"Jay…I'm not going to give you any sentiments or sappy words – I just want you to know…I'm not going to let you die," my angel promised against my shoulder.

I smirked and lifted my head, "What if it's on the cards, Tiger?"

Her eyes flashed black with pure anger and defiance, "I'll rip up and burn those fucking cards."

I let my lips trail over her soft, slightly-warm cheek, "Just not the Joker card – right, Isabella?"

"Right."

"Then the Joker card will always play the way you want it to," I murmured quietly, making sure only she could hear – this would be the one and only promise I would ever make her.

I couldn't love, protect, and care for her – it was something a crazy boy like me could never handle – but I could be by her side every second we had left together.

As I pulled back, Isabella's darkened eyes looked up at me like the semi-innocent, crimson orbs they were – they glistened as she nodded.

I smiled and kissed her – it wasn't harsh, _biting_…

It was soft.

Isabella saved us from the atmosphere clouding in the room, "But, you know, I always liked the Ace of Spades – now, _there _was a card!"

I grinned.

**

* * *

**

Bella

The Joker and I had lain there in our darkened den of twisted sheets and roving hands for an hour or so…before something made my ears prick.

It was a siren…and there were voices…

I turned to look at the Joker as he amused himself tracing patterns on my inner thigh, "Jay…the cops are evacuating…"

I could hear them yelling, running along the streets…

"…_out! Now! By order of the Mayor, for your own safety! Ferries, roads, and the local airfield are all operational – use them!"_

"_Ma'am! Get your children and…"_

"…_your belongings. Only take what's necessary…_"

The Joker's fingers slowed against my skin, but didn't stop, "I know, Tiger." He smirked, "It's almost time."

I waited.

His eyes finally turned up to me – they looked greener than ever, and I knew he was excited – "I sent out a message…a _threat_, if you will…to the _authorities_ earlier…and it seems that they've finally gotten around to saving their precious taxpayers."

"The plan?" I asked.

He smiled, cupping one side of my face with his large, warm hand, "We draw out the Bat, we put him on live TV…and we see how far he'll go before he reveals his face to the world – but this time…we have something he wants."

Gotham was completely deserted.

I had never imagined – even with my infinitely large and powerful vampire brain – that the thriving city could look so desolate.

With the previous scares of terrorism or the Joker's madness, they had practiced emptying the city countless times – it didn't take them long to evacuate completely.

The Joker had threatened the city with a second, and far worse, gas attack, and it had obviously succeeded in forcing the Mayor's hand to call for the people to flee Gotham – but I knew the Whitlocks and the Cullens were still around here somewhere…hiding in the back alleys…waiting and plotting in their homes…

They wouldn't let anything happen.

I didn't care – my only job was to keep the Joker safe, and nothing else mattered.

We stood, side-by-side, outside of City Hall – newspapers and litter were scattered everywhere, and our bright 'war-paint' and purple clothing stood out in the terribly grey and empty space.

Our boys stood at different points around us, some hiding and some in plain sight – but there was one group more important than the others, and that was the group standing a couple of metres from us…holding Bruce Wayne's butler.

From the first moment I saw him, I had known who he was – he stank of Bruce, the rubber-and-leather suit Batman wore, and the damp of a cave.

I had turned to the Joker, and I had seen it in his eyes that he knew – it was obvious since he had Bruce Wayne's butler.

The Joker knew Batman's true identity.

His eyes had flashed with mirth before he had smiled at me and said, "_I've never wanted to kill him, Isabella. He's too much fun. But now…it's time for the finale – we've caught a car, it's time to pop the tyres."_

I came back into the moment as Gio wheeled a large camera into view – he stood back and waited to capture the Batman's unmasking.

We waited…until the sky was black and dark clouds had rolled in.

"Perfect weather for bats," Joker murmured against my cheek as he pecked it.

I licked the very corner of his mouth as he pulled away, "Perfect weather for bat _hunting_."

That was when I heard it.

It.

Them.

My old families.

I froze and growled – the Joker looked me over and then scanned the shadows around us.

"What's wrong, sugar?"

I turned to the west, placing myself before my mate, "They're coming."

I crouched, and as soon as my body stilled once again…they arrived – they had combined forces. The Whitlocks stood proudly with the Cullens, and I couldn't help but sneer slightly in disgust – did they have so little self-respect that they would stand with the people that openly looked down on them?

I looked into Jasper's eyes, "I can't believe you."

I saw him hold back a hiss, before he replied, "I'm not the one that's doing wrong, Bella."

"Right and wrong matter very little to me now, Jasper – I don't need to talk to you about changes, do I? You changed after Maria, and I changed after Edward – _for the better_."

I didn't even let my gaze brush Edward, standing at the very edge of the group, though I saw how pained he looked.

Peter stepped forward slightly, "This isn't the way, Bella."

I tipped my head to the side inquisitively, "You know that they hate you, don't you? The Cullens hate you and Char, Peter – they hate me too. They think I'm a monster, but I can't help the way I am."

Peter nodded slowly, "You have to drink from humans, Bella – you have to kill to survive…but not for sport."

The Joker wound his arms around me from behind and sealed my body to his, "_My_ Isabella hasn't killed for sport, Shadow – she's killed to get what she wants."

It was true – I killed when I wanted blood, or wanted to get to the Joker, or wanted to please him…

The other vampires all growled at my mate, and I felt my eyes consumed by darkness as I dropped into an extremely low crouch and hissed fiercely.

I took two careful steps forward, my limbs flexing and tensing in preparation to pounce, "I will tear every one of you apart to keep my mate."

My voice was husky, deep, and I felt and heard the Joker shiver behind me – his heart beat a little faster, and the slight scent of his arousal met me as I turned my head a fraction.

I purred to him.

I was rewarded with another shiver and I drifted backwards, slowly moving out of my crouch – Joker's hot hands came around me and clasped me to him as he breathed against my ear,

"I'm not usually a fan of PDA, but you're making me question whether I ever really considered it."

I pressed myself against him and his hard length, and breathed, "We've got a job to do."

"_Oh, yes_, but once it's done…"

He didn't need to say anything else to have desire coursing through my veins and flames pleasantly licking at the bottom of my spine.

A strangled noise made me look up, and I met Jasper's black gaze – he was holding on to Alice for dear life, trying to fight the overwhelming lust the Joker and I had for each other.

I smiled at him, sending him a dose of what I felt when the Joker kissed my ucipital mapilary, "Can't handle it, Jasper?"

He growled at me, his whole face transforming into a snarl, "_Fuck you_,_ Bella_."

His instincts were getting the best of him, because of our strong emotions, and I smiled wickedly, "You want to play."

It was a statement.

The Joker chuckled behind me, before gently feathering his fingers over the little dip between my collarbones – I shivered and gasped slightly, feeling electricity course through me.

"Go get him, Tiger," Joker whispered, his voice rough with lust and excitement.

I went without further words – the Batman would come soon, but now was the time to face-off against my 'family'.

Jasper stepped forward to meet me, and Alice offered no resistance – I smirked tauntingly as I crouched low before him, while everyone else took five steps back.

Jasper stood still, shaking with the effort of holding back _that _side of him – his eyes were black and his face was stormy…and I finally saw what the Joker had seen in me.

I saw something I wanted to set loose.

I swung out of my crouch and pulled up the hood attached to my dress – the fabric swirled around me as I spun before Jasper, looking at him through my lashes and the black sprayed across my eyes.

I didn't say a word as my body moved and twisted to an imaginary beat… No, not imaginary… It was the beating of my Joker's heart.

My hips circled, my arms raised, showing the good, ol' Southern boy my wares – he watched me cynically at first, before the red of my lips captured and held his gaze.

His expression grew darker, hunger radiating from him – but I knew he wasn't hungry for me.

He was hungry for what I offered.

Jasper was a man who had been taken in by a dark woman before. He hadn't ever really talked much about why he stayed with Maria for so long, but I could guess – she may have been an insane bitch, but she gave the good man a chance to step out on the dark side.

Jasper longed for another taste of that seductive evil.

I smiled as he came closer, his body minutely following my slowing movements.

"_Jasper_…" I said softly, his eyes on my crimson mouth. "Give in, Jasper."

My hands twisted and spun above our heads like birds caught in a storm – his gaze roved up to the pale creatures, mesmerised by the way they swooped and curled.

"Alice shunned you, Jasper – she shunned you _and _me, as did the rest of the family… She hates your venom siblings… She's not right for you – you don't need her. You want to give in like I did – don't you, Jasper?"

His mouth curled at the corners, as he murmured, "Go crazy, you mean."

"_No_," I breathed, my hips brushing his. "It was giving in, Jasper – giving in to who I'm supposed to be."

My hands swooped, bringing his gaze back to mine.

"I gave in once before," Jasper said quietly, almost like he was admitting a sin.

"You may have given in to the wrong person, but giving in to what we _are_… It isn't wrong. Do you think _I'm _wrong, Jasper?" I asked softly, my eyes wide with innocence.

Jasper shook his head, his hands capturing mine – he twined our fingers together and renewed their swooping, "No. You're magnificent, Bella – you've _always _been magnificent."

I smiled, bringing my face so _close _to his, "Then give in to me…to _this_…to the madness…"

He trembled for a moment, as his chin dropped, but only for a moment – when he looked back up, his eyes were deeper and blacker and a wicked confidence shone from his very skin.

"I'd love to," he smirked.

Peter and Char stood silent behind him as I pulled him back towards where the Joker stood behind me – they knew they couldn't contest Jasper's decision, or they'd end up with different missing limbs and chunks of flesh.

He was the Major now, and the Major was _ours_.

I smiled evilly at Alice over Jasper's shoulder – she was shaking, _trembling_, on the very verge of _begging_…

The Cullens all stood silent, and the last two Whitlocks slowly stepped away – every eye turned on Peter and Char, and they shook their heads at me disbelievingly…before melting into the shadows.

"Two down," Joker muttered in my ear, biting the lobe slightly while he was there.

Jasper growled at him, still slightly protective of me – I hissed at Jasper aggressively, baring my teeth at him in warning.

He understood immediately and turned his gaze away – at least he still respected a vampire's mating.

It was obvious Alice hadn't been his true mate – I had known it for a while, ever since I felt my pull to the Joker. There was something in the way that Jasper acted around Alice that seemed more friendly that romantic – he would have never been able to leave her if he truly loved her.

The Cullens watched us carefully.

I knew the drill – Carlisle would offer a safe and peaceful option to how everything would go down, Esme would support him, Emmett would crack a joke, Rosalie would hit him upside the head, Alice would gaze off into the distance, and Edward would relate how things would go to everyone.

Standard.

It was exactly what did happen.

We turned down Carlisle's offer, ignored Esme, Emmett and Rosalie, and finally glared at Alice and Edward.

Alice's eyes glazed over, as did Edward's, before she shrieked and turned to the family, "We have to stop! This won't turn out well for us. I can't see how a fight will affect _them_, but _we _will be annihilated."

I turned to the Joker and murmured, "They're going to run scared."

He slid a gloved fingertip down my face, "You're deadly, Isabella – why wouldn't they?"

I smiled.

Before I heard something.

Then I frowned.

"Batman," I whispered, closing my eyes and listening to the _swish_ he made as he cut through the air before landing on top of City Hall.

I opened my eyes to gaze into the Joker's, and I licked my lips, "He's here."

Gio started the camera, Bruce's butler was brought to us, and the Cullens stood back – because even though they hated loss of human life, especially at the hands of other vampires, they would not risk their '_perfect_' family.

I waited for the Joker to make the first move – he did.

Joker grasped the elderly man, holding him to his side as he brought out a short blade to press against the terribly thin skin of his throat.

I heard a growl – Batman was getting angry.

_Good_…

"Now, Bats – poor Alfred here has a dodgy ticker, according to his medical records, and he's already been through enough stress today…hasn't he?" The Joker smirked, "To avoid him _definitely_ dying, all you have to do is take off your_ little mask_."

Jasper tensed next to me, looking at the butler's neck – I nudged him from his thoughts of draining the human dry and took his hand softly. He stared down at it as if it were foreign – I may have turned 'bad,' but that didn't mean I wasn't an affectionate person.

Jasper had never received _any _kindness as the Major, and I wanted to show him that he still had me – no matter how he was.

He was my brother.

Jasper smiled.

A sudden _swish_ cut through the air at multiple points, and I growled as I watched Batarangs flying towards my mate with my perfect vampire vision – it was almost like it was in slow-motion.

Jasper and I leapt, knocking the bat-shaped pieces of metal out of the air – they clanged and chipped as they hit us, before noisily clattering to the ground.

The old man behind us sighed at Batman, "Let me go, Sir. It's not worth it – keep Batman alive."

The rubber and leather-clad superhero growled and plummeted from the top of City Hall to the steps before us – his eyes raked me, flashing with mingled hate and desire.

It looked like Bats still had a soft spot for little old me.

I smiled at him flirtatiously, "Hello, again, _Batman_."

Jasper smirked beside me, "That's a lot of lust for a human to feel."

I circled the caped crusader, grinning and running my fingertips over his armour-covered chest, "He's not entirely human, Jasper – he's part bat." I winked, "I'm sure he has a lot of stamina, too."

His blue eyes glazed momentarily, before his hand raised and his fingers brushed the small of my back – his hands weren't the ones I wanted on me though.

"Don't touch the goods," Joker said, his voice dangerously calm. "All those curves you see are _mine_."

Then the Batman did the most stupid thing he ever could have done – he threatened me.

His hands came around my middle and he hauled me back against him – he growled against my ear, "Let Alfred go, and I'll release your pet."

I hissed, "I am no one's _pet_."

But before I could push him off of me, Jasper barrelled into Bats and knocked him away from me – Jasper crouched and growled, chomping at the bit in his urgency to kill for me.

I shushed him softly – he was still getting used to doing things by instinct, and I knew that it would be hard for him to learn what to do since he had suppressed his most basic instincts for so long with the Cullens.

I ran my fingers through his golden curls, "Hush, Jasper – everything's fine. You know I can take care of myself, but thank you for stepping in anyway."

He looked up at me with understanding, before straightening and pulling me against him to watch what would happen.

Our boys crowded around us and the pile that was Batman as he lay against the steps of City Hall – the Joker pressed his blade closer to the old man's skin as he looked me over quickly.

I knew he was worried for me, but he also didn't want his plan to go to waste – I understood, and I knew that _truly_…he wanted to be in Jasper's place, holding me against him as we watched the world begin to burn.

Batman sat up shakily, stunned from Jasper's strength, as the Joker prepared to rip into the butler's neck – the large bat sighed and growled, his hand reaching up to his face…

"_Do it_," the Joker encouraged hoarsely, excitement-induced adrenaline trilling through his body.

Everyone tensed as Batman's fingers grasped the side of his mask – Gio's hands shook as he aimed the camera directly on his face…

A rip of rubber was all it took, and Bruce Wayne bared his face to the world.

The butler sobbed breathily, as did Bruce, but they kept up their brave fronts – the Joker watched and grinned, emanating glee.

He had finally broken the Bat.

_**

* * *

**_

Author's note:

_Sorry for the terribly long update shortage – essays to write and whatnot (; Not long to go now until the madness is all over! Thank you for all your reviews!_


	10. Time

_**Author's note: **__Long time since I updated, I know ): Blackadder-style ah-pull-loh-gees all round. And…IT'S THE SECOND-TO-LAST CHAPTER! Waaahh! I was having so much fun writing this too! ): Thank you to everyone for sticking with me so long – I honestly do not deserve you wonderful people! And a very long 'thank you' bow to xTullyx for recommending my humble fic on (; And I love my pimpin' banner. And thank you to RaindropSoup, for recommending ISYM on the LUV'NV blog! Best blog ever? *Nods* (;_

**

* * *

**

Joker

On my signal, Gio cut the feed and turned off the camera.

The craziness that had clouded my mind for the past few hours dissipated slightly, and my body was…empty.

Something within me had been flushed away, like an overgrown pet or an unwanted Christmas present – something had been cleansed.

Was this what it was like to feel…fulfilled?

True fulfilment was something that I came across rarely – in fact, I could only remember truly feeling fulfilled with Isabella.

My eyes went straight to hers without my permission as everything but her began to fade away – the defeated Bruce Wayne ceased to exist, as did the sobbing butler under my hands, and all I could see was Isabella's face glowing with happiness.

She was happy for me.

Unlikely, and completely un-fucking-believable…but completely true – that beauty was mine, that bat-shit crazy woman was mine and she was happy to be so. She was happy to see a city fall to ruins, she was happy to see grown men cry softly for their lost cause, and she was happy to see me stand as the cause of it – she was even happy to be a part of it.

I had never felt so–

Something hit me hard.

It was in the shape of a large, leather-clad fist.

I sighed, my head turned to the side from the force of his hit, "Bats, why couldn't you just lie down and play dead until after I finished havin' my epiphany?"

I laughed as his fist came at me again.

Then she was there.

My tiger was stood in front of me, clutching the Bat's fist in her hand and slowly squeezing it – Bruce Wayne's blue eyes were dark with hate, pain and fury, but I knew Isabella's would be darker.

My hands automatically reached for her slim waist and full hips, pulling her back against me as she crushed another man's hand in hers – my mouth went to her ear as the bones of his wrist snapped and Wayne growled in pain.

"Thank you," I muttered, my lips smearing red across her earlobe. "You're just as helpful as a Girl Scout, aren'tcha?"

Isabella laughed softly, turning slightly so I could see her dark eyes dancing with light, "And I'll bet you were kicked out."

I smirked and kissed her neck, letting my tongue take a swipe at her skin, "Of course – too many rules for me."

Isabella turned back to Wayne, letting his hand with its mangled digits drop as she smiled, "Sorry, I forgot I was crushing every bone in your hand excruciatingly slowly."

It was quiet now, except for the buzzing of the nearest streetlights and the low, pained groans from Bats – I held onto Isabella tightly as my boys went about their business, securing our two captives, clearing up some of our kit and making a few phone calls.

Now my mind was a little clearer, it was difficult to believe that everything would end this way – I'd finished my life's goal, and…I wasn't entirely sure why.

The doc's at Arkham would be pleased – I was actually trying to figure out something about myself.

Because, without really planning it, I'd ended my career.

Unmasking Batman was what I was all about – it was my 'thing'. But I'd never intended to actually go _through_ with it…

Until I met her.

I cocked my head to the left and rested my chin on Isabella's shoulder, "You didn't ask me why I did this."

Her cheek lifted in a small smile, "I thought you wouldn't want to tell me."

I laughed lowly against her ear, speaking only for her, "You knew I was doing it for you?"

"I had an…_inkling_ about ten minutes ago."

"Well, you could have clued me in, sugar," I sighed playfully. "Now I look like I have no idea what I'm doing."

Isabella snorted softly, "You always look that way – you make everything seem effortless."

A few minutes passed, before my hands tightened around her waist and I pressed my face closer to hers, "So now that I've inadvertently created a future for…_us_…"

My words trailed off – where the hell was I going with any of this? Craziness did that to you – one minute you'd be chasing cars and trying to catch them for the fun of it, and the next you'd realise that actually you were doing it to _actually_ catch it.

It hit me like Bats' fist – something within me had worked against me, letting me think I was just finally going through with unmasking Batman when really it just wanted me to be unshackled; unshackled from Gotham, from caped crusaders…and from the world I had lived and suffered in for far too long.

Isabella turned in my hands and grinned up at me, "You think it's time?"

"Time to go–to _leave_?" I asked sternly.

She just smiled more brightly, "Isn't that what you want?"

A part of me was reluctant, hating her power and the power of whatever resided within me that wanted _just her_, but then…the rest of me wanted her as well.

I ran my fingers through her long curls and pushed back the hood of her dress, "Where?"

"Somewhere with lots of cars to chase."

"Good answer," I grinned, softening, and then leant down to kiss her, _hard_…

And then something rocked the city.

The ground beneath us trembled and quaked, and the papers scattered across the sidewalk and the rest of the street were caught by a huge gust of wind and carried away into the sky…

Tanks and choppers.

I sighed and rolled my eyes, "Y'know, these moments keep getting interrupted – I wonder whether–"

My mouth was forcibly slammed shut by a pair of large stone hands – Big Blonde was standing behind me, his hands over my mouth and his eyes trained on the clouds to the west of the city.

"Trouble," Isabella murmured, absentmindedly pulling Big Blonde's hands away from my mouth as I stared at him darkly.

He just nodded.

**

* * *

**

Bella

The henchmen were scattering, running down the alleys and away from the noise that was slowly getting closer and closer to where Jasper, the Joker and I stood – some of the men were clutching or pulling on their Joker-brand gas-masks and goggles, which had kept them safe from the Joker's Laughing Gas that had swirled through the city not so long ago…

Now it was tear gas and something else, and the henchmen had anticipated its release correctly – I could smell it on the whipping wind.

I picked up a spare fluorescent gas-mask and goggle set at my feet and handed it to my mate at my side, "Keep it with you – just in case. There's not much time."

Jasper had been idly standing by up 'til now, but the threat had kicked him into high gear and his eyes were darting around looking for the best way of getting out of Gotham alive.

"We'll go east for now, but they'll be expectin' it," Jasper murmured, turning to run east.

I turned and smiled at the Joker, who was looking at me with something akin to amusement – he sighed, "You want to carry me – don't you, Tiger?"

I didn't bother with a reply, I simply lifted him into my arms – he felt like a feather practically, and I couldn't help laughing at the absurdity of how it would look for a seemingly-one-hundred-pound teenage girl to carry a fully-grown man in her arms like he weighed nothing whatsoever.

I left like a shot, a metre behind the lightning-like Jasper.

The Joker stretched in my hold as our clothes and hair was whipped back by the wind – his hands found purchase behind his head and he crossed his ankles, smiling at me cheekily.

"You're quite comfortable really," he grinned, making me roll my eyes.

We rocketed east through Gotham in silence, before Jasper and I heard the noise of reinforcements – they were closing in on us; there were a few helicopters, and one of them was definitely a news chopper.

I growled to Jasper, "They'll slow us down – we can't be seen, especially filmed, or the Volturi will be on our backs."

He just turned his head and let his gaze flicker over the Joker and me – when his eyes met mine, I knew what he was going to do.

"No–" I breathed, but it was too late.

With a single parting smile, Jasper leapt onto the closest rooftop and let himself be seen in all his true, natural glory – he gave the cameras one hell of a show.

I saw him leap and fly, twisting in the air at an inhuman speed, out of the corner of my eye which stung with venom.

The Joker said nothing as we turned south, though I felt his gaze burning a hole in the side of my head – my hearing allowed me to find a hole in the circle the helicopters that had been radioed in had created.

I dimly heard the excited noise in the news chopper fade away as they followed Jasper, and most of the other helicopters followed him too – only a couple hovered close by, waiting to see if anything else would surface from the darkened streets of Gotham.

"I have a car, further south," Joker said semi-quietly, breaking the silence surrounding us. "Do you know where Big Rob's Fix 'n' Shine is?"

I just nodded, trying not to feel anything for the brother that had given his life to let me and my mate escape – although Jasper wasn't dead yet, I knew he soon would be.

At least one vampire from the Volturi was probably stationed close by to Gotham – I wasn't so naïve to think that the 'perfect' Cullens wouldn't have called them now – and they would work fast.

I knew where to find Big Rob's – Rosalie's love for all things mechanical meant that I knew every mechanic's, garage and odd parts store in town; Big Rob's was a dubious one.

It took hardly any time at all to clear the brighter and wider streets and enter the seedy slum on the outskirts of Gotham in which Big Rob's was planted – the alleys and the tightly pressed together businesses and buildings made it easier to hide from the two slowly searching helicopters overhead.

The bright beams of searchlights flashed over us a couple of times in the darkness as I ran, but we were like smoke in the shadows to the pilots above.

"Listen, Tiger," Joker suddenly murmured, as we neared Big Rob's. "I'm… I knew you liked the guy."

The Joker was trying to be sympathetic in his own way, but I didn't want to hear it – an irrational part of me thought that if he began speaking about Jasper like he was already gone it would make it so, even though I already knew that my brother was so close to death.

My heart ached violently, but my mind closed off the subject, "We're here."

The Joker's brown-green eyes flickered over my face and then to the peeling sign of Big Rob's – he stayed silent, jumping out of my hold.

His coat snapped and swished behind him as he jogged into the large warehouse-type building through the open, metal sliding doors – I flitted behind him silently, contemplating our escape…and a possible way to save Jasper. But I dismissed those ideas immediately – the Joker was far more important, no matter who else put their life on the line.

But my eyes still stung with venom.

The inside of Big Rob's was completely deserted, just like the rest of the city; not a heartbeat in the place – there were half-cranked up cars above the concrete mechanic pits, and metal tables with all kinds of tools and paperwork all over them…and then there was a door.

The Joker went straight for it.

As soon as he pushed open the rivet-outlined metal door, he reached up and I heard him grab a set of keys – he jangled them at me and crooked his finger.

"Time to bust outta here, Tiger," he grinned, his ruby lips shining.

He was beautiful – he had to know how much I...

I went to him silently as he walked up to a dark BMW – before he opened the door and got in, I caught his arm; he turned to me with a twinkle in his eye.

"Jay…" I breathed, losing the words I wanted to say as the Joker smiled at me knowingly.

"I know," he replied, tipping my face up so he could steal a deep kiss – my lips pressed back against his with hunger, my body trilling with the knowledge that he _knew_.

He knew I loved him.

I didn't need to hear it back – I didn't need him to love me as long as he still wanted me with him.

I pulled back, opened the car door behind him with a smile and then went to the passenger's side and got in – when I sat down and shut the door behind me, he was still standing where I had left him. It took him a moment to follow my example and get in – when he did, his eyes didn't stray near me and his brow was deeply furrowed.

He slammed his door, turned the key in the ignition and flew through the large, open, garage backdoor with the wheels squealing shrilly.

The ride was silent apart from the purr of the engine as we slipped down dark street after dark street, towards the forest roads at the edge of Gotham – lights were unneeded, and the closest helicopters were searching away from us: everything was perfect.

The Joker's hands tightened on the steering wheel spasmodically, drawing my eye – he rolled his head to the side, clicking his neck, and ran his pink tongue over his bright teeth.

He wanted to say something.

I waited.

It wasn't until we reached the edge of Gotham, driving under the first few leaves of the continuous canopy that covered the roads away from the city, that his shoulders dropped in a loss of tension and he turned his head towards me slightly.

"You're mine," the Joker stated simply.

He said nothing else.

"Wh–" I began to ask, but the dark look in his eyes silenced me.

"Don't question me, Tiger – that's all I'm going to say."

I nodded softly, flicking the hood of my dress up and leaning back into it…to hide my smile – I looked at the reflection of the Joker in the window on my side and bit my lip as I watched him turn towards me with a mixed look, a mix of extreme control, yearning, and softness.

I was his…

He loved me too.

The Joker's eyes caught mine in the reflection of the window and a moment passed between us that nothing could break.

Not even the large vampire that suddenly ghosted alongside my side of the car and slammed against it to knock us off the road.

No, not even that.

My eyes never left the Joker's as I sent my fist flying through the window, shattering the glass into thousands of sparkling pieces and knocking half of the vampire's face off in a grinding of metal and a splatter of venom.

The bulky vampire's body dropped instantly, his remaining red eye flashing with surprise and darkening with unconsciousness as he hit the road in a flutter of black.

I saw gold flash on his chest as we sped away – _Volturi_.

As I drew my still-curled, and venom-dappled, hand back through the window, I murmured, "Felix…"

The Joker's eyes slid towards me, a smirk curling his lips, "Old lover?"

"He 'dibbed' my blood once upon a time – I guess he'll just have to settle for my fist."

"I'm the only one around here who does any dibbing, sugar," he said lowly, darkly, his voice full of promise as if I had slid my hand up his thigh instead of slammed my fist into another vampire's face.

I leaned over the centre console and licked my lips obscenely, "Shall we stop soon for a spot of 'dibbing'?"

The Joker growled, his irises dilating and his blood rushing south, "Say the word."

"_Now_," I grinned, just _needing _him.

The Joker braked and the car spun – it skidded a few metres and then to a halt under thicker cover off the road.

I practically leapt from my side of the car as the Joker swiftly removed himself from his – he pulled me over the hood, pressing me against the shining metal that was hot from the still-running engine; its purring sent shivers through my highly-sensitive body.

In the dim purpleness, his mouth came down on mine – a force to be reckoned with.

His heat overwhelmed me, his heartbeat rang in my ears, and his blood thrummed beneath my fingertips – he was so beautiful, but so achingly fragile.

If finally losing Jasper, my brother, was even a thousandth of the pain of losing my mate…then I didn't want to consider the thought of losing the Joker – I wanted him like me.

A vampire.

I gasped as his hot hands roughly pushed up the hem of my dress over my thighs and bunched it around my hips – his fingers ran down the inside of my knees, his nails trying to score my skin as he growled deeply in his chest for me.

_How could I ever live without this, now?_

I grasped his neck, digging my fingertips into the back of it as I pulled his face impossibly closer to mine to kiss him more deeply.

He grinned against my lips and nudged me to tell me to flip over – I did so swiftly, my hands pressing against the hood of the car and denting the metal as he bucked his clothed hips against my bare ones.

I moaned as I felt the hard length of him pressed against my aching core – the friction from the semi-rough material of his pants as he ground against me had me _burning_ for him.

The scrap of lace that covered my sex was ripped to shreds by his powerful hands and I cried out when I felt him shift down behind me so his tongue could explore my soft folds.

His growling increased, sending my body into spasms as his sounds vibrated against my throbbing bundle of nerves…

But I absolutely _shattered_ when I felt his teeth softly biting at me.

That wave of pleasure crashed over me and left me shaking and panting on the hood of the car – my fingers were curved, piercing the metal as I tried to gain my unnecessary breath back.

But before I could, there was a soft jangle and _woosh_ of something hitting the ground and then the Joker was inside me.

I moaned and growled as he curved his body to mine, pushing my feet further apart so he could nestle his hips against mine better. His hot hardness throbbed within me, sending waves of tingles rushing under my skin and through my body.

His lips caressed the shell of my ear, "You may be hurt by his sacrifice, sugar, but it means that we can be like _this_…"

His hips thrust forward firmly, punctuating his statement and making me gasp as he hit some deep spot within me.

"Blondie's given us the chance to have our life," Joker growled. "And you're sadly mistaken if you think I'm not abso-fucking-lutely pleased about that."

I pressed my cheek to the warm metal of the car as he moved within me, grasping my hips and making me shake and shiver.

"_But_ _I'm not making any promises_…" He muttered over and over, as we climbed our high – I knew he was trying to tell himself he could still leave if he wanted to, because I knew a part of him would always want to escape.

But we both knew he couldn't.

He needed me now.

He needed me more than his knives, or his fear, or his city to torment – it was why we were here in the first place.

When the Joker reached down to pinch my pulsing button, I crashed like a wave – he wasn't far behind, my release inducing his own.

We stayed that way for a while, just listening to the engine hum and the wind rush through the trees – it was…almost peaceful.

Then he turned my chin so my lips could meet his in a small kiss, pulled back and murmured, "Chasing cars is what _we _do…"

"And, occasionally, we'll catch some," I smiled back softly.

"We'll bite the tyres until the wheels come off…"

"And dance around the twisted, burning wreck?" I finished with a suggestion, laughing softly.

"Exactly," he growled, pressing his mouth to mine, and I never wanted peace again.

_**

* * *

**_

Author's note:

_Epilogue's up next, very soon!_


	11. The Afterword

_**The Afterword**_

* * *

The king with the long black hair silently stood from his golden throne, his brothers – one bright blonde, one terribly silent – mirroring his stance either side of him.

His silken hair shifted over his shoulders as he leant forward to hiss at the largest of his Guard – Felix – "You tell me they have _escaped_?"

The large vampire bowed, "Yes."

The strike that the black-haired king bestowed on the other vampire's face rang out through the large marble-clad throne room.

The king hissed again, "Tell me something to redeem your worth."

"We have the God of War."

A broad smile split the king's face, "Bring him."

The tall, wooden doors to the throne room opened slowly with loud twin groans, to reveal an emaciated vampire with long blonde curls and who had his wrists and ankles clad in manacles made from metal and the ashes of burned vampires.

The large vampire, Felix, pulled him forwards and pushed him to his knees at the bottom of the two marble steps that led up to the kings' thrones.

"Aro," the prisoner murmured, not moving his black and defiant gaze from the king's face. "Caius. Marcus."

The king smiled softly, holding out his palms in a friendly gesture, "This need not be painful. Simply, tell me where they are."

"Who?" The prisoner smirked.

With a flick of his wrist, the king sent a small blonde girl out from the shadows behind his and his brothers' thrones and towards the prisoner.

"Isabella Cullen and her mate, the maniac," the king said quietly, his tone dangerous.

The prisoner just grinned.

Another flick of his wrist and the girl who had been brought forward sent waves of pain throughout the prisoner's body, using only her mind.

"Tell me," the king growled lowly. "She cannot be allowed to turn the clown – his mind is too twisted to be strengthened and turned immortal."

The prisoner laughed as his muscled were heated with excruciating pain, making his body writhe on the marble floor.

"He…" He gasped in between his laughs. "He'll… He'll bring the house down."

His words rang through the silent and cavernous room.

"And _she_…" The prisoner laughed, his eyes twinkling, "_She_'ll bring the madness."

The King growled and launched himself at the prisoner, grasping the man's hand to read his mind with his gift that only worked with skin-on-skin contact – the King's eyes widened at the twisted passages and the dark and gloomy memories that were so difficult to see.

"What have you done to yourself?" The King asked, horror colouring his tone rather than anger.

"I gave into it," the prisoner replied.

At that moment a figure alighted in a stone archway at the bottom of a staircase, behind the three golden thrones of the Volturi kings – it was a woman; her face fine, her hair straight and black, and her curves clothed in a floating, gauzy material.

A dark angel.

The female vampire's milky-red eyes looked around the room, taking in the scene, and then fell upon the prisoner – when their eyes met, the prisoner smiled again.

"And I won't be the last."

* * *

The woman arched and spun, stretching muscles that didn't need to be stretched – she simply enjoyed the feel.

The forest surrounded her on all sides, the ferns brushing dew across the bottom of her dark purple dress and the sun shining through the leafy canopy above her head making her skin shimmer and sparkle.

But it wasn't all nature around her – two hours away was a large and industrial city, and a few minutes away lay a simple wooden cabin.

The woman's face turned to it, listening to her lover's heartbeat – her dark red eyes shone with happiness, but sparkled with something infinitely different.

He was dying.

Her bare feet moved without her permission, her eyes were wide and unblinking as the dark brown cabin came into view between the bright green trees, and her ears didn't need to strain to hear the failing beating in her human lover's chest.

The wooden door of the cabin was warm beneath her fingers from the sun shining on it all morning, but it wasn't the warmth that she had missed for the past three days.

She was a ghost as she flitted to the small, wooden-splinter-covered bedroom – in which was a battered bed with fingernail gouges and parts missing from the wooden frame.

On the bed lay a naked man.

His skin was pale but subtly shimmering in the light that filtered through the dirty glass of the bedroom window, and the woman smiled as she looked over his slim but toned body – his hair had not been washed, but it still shone like pale gold.

"Still beautiful," she murmured to herself in her vampiric, musical tone.

His face was twisting in pain, his hands were fisting the bare mattress on which he laid, and his heart was taking its last bow.

The woman's chocolate curls slipped over her bare shoulders, as she leant over the bed to let her face hover above his – she let her scent and the smell of the forest that clung to her drift over him. He had told her, the night that they discussed his turning, that he loved the smells combined, and it was the only reason she had left his side to go out into the greenery in the first place.

He had said that if she woke him up with those scents, he would let her change him against his better judgement and wishes.

"Mad-man," she breathed above him, smiling fondly.

His heart thumped once more and then stopped.

The Joker was truly dead.

Bella let one fingertip trace its way across his cheeks, where his scars would have still been had her venom not perfected his skin.

His lips curved and a smile resembling the one that had been cut upon his human face broke out across his immortal one.

She had one word for him, "Hungry?"

_**

* * *

**_

**_Finis_**

_**

* * *

**_

Author's note:

_It's all over…'and I'm standing pretty, in this dust that was a city.' Okay, couldn't help but sing and add in that little bit of Nena's '99 Red Balloons' there (; Oh, my gosh! All over and done with? )': Well, hold on there, dear readers! Not entirely! (; Yes, 'I'll Show You Madness' is officially finished, but I have a little O/S spin-off to add to my collection of fics. Yes. That's right. You don't think I'd leave Jasper hanging with the Volturi crowd, mate-less to boot, without a follow-up to it – do you? Should be posted soon (; After all, madness is a disease that spreads… I love you all! Thank you so much for all your love, reviews, favourite-ing/alert-ing, rec's and, most importantly, your time._


	12. Companion Piece AN

_**Attention!**_

_

* * *

_

Hey, there! Just a notice to say I've posted an O/S companion piece to 'I'll Show You Madness' (:

_It's just tying up Jasper's fate, going from an extract of the Volturi scene from the epilogue of ISYM – hope you read and enjoy it enough to review!_

_I'd love to hear your thoughts!_

_**

* * *

**_

**_wonder_**


End file.
